


The Deadlast Hokage

by WineLickingPasta



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, timetravel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-08-10 16:04:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 52,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7851823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WineLickingPasta/pseuds/WineLickingPasta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Naruto travels back in time after being mortally wounded. Now back at the genin exam, he wants to change the future as he wills it to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am not a native english speaker, so there will be grammatical errors. I use the japanese and english names a little around eachother.

A/N   
this is the rewrite of The deadlast of the future. I really have been sloppy about the story and some things should be removed and added. The story is not going to be the same, but it still has some of the same aspects to it. There are some major changes and some not at all. Enjoy.

  
\--------------------

  
Naruto never planned on dying. He had resently been crowned Hokage*, he had Hinata by his side and his son and daughter. Life was good, but for some reason it couldn't stay that way.  
He was bleeding heavily, he had lost all feeelings in his left side and his vision was blurring. He could feel Hinata gently squeezing his left hand, whispering soothing words as he saw Sakura approaching, probably ready to try and heal him.  
Naruto smiled. He looked at Hinata, filling his heart with joy and sadness. "Hinata." He said. She nodded carefully as she stopped her whispering.

  
"Take care of Boruto and Himawari for me... the village, make sure that someone good will take care of it for me. Please act in my place until the council finds someone suitable as Hokage. I-" "Kit." A voice interrupted. Naruto blinked and found himself inside his mindscape, looking at the great nine tails. "Kurama, if you didn't notice, I'm busy dying." Naruto said. Kurama snorted. "Like you should die here. I know that you are ment for more Naruto, now please, let me do my thing." Kurama said and waved with his tails. Naruto nodded and Kurama's eyes closed in concentration. "I need you to weave some hand signs. There are many, but you can't not loose focus and make a mistake." Naruto looked at him puzzled.   
"What are you going to do?" He asked. Kurama grinned slightly. "I have to send you back somewhere, I need you to take one of your best memories and focus on it, do not waver." Kurma explained. "Hurry, you're loosing chakra* quickly, we must do it now." Naruto nodded.

  
"Hinata. I love you, I will always love you." He said as he hugged Hinata closely before he started making hand signs as Kurama guided him along the way. "Naruto? What are you doing?" Hinata asked. Naruto gave her a grin.  
"I'm going to defy fate again, believe it!" Naruto said and closed his eyes in concentration. Kurama suddenly blasted a huge amount of chakra into the system, the amount straining Naruto's chakra network, even though he already had much more chakra than your average jonin, perhaps even kage.

  
Naruto screamed in pain as his seal flared and started tearing apart, forcefully trying to remove Kurama. "Kurama! What is happening?!" Naruto shouted out loud. Hinata grabbed his hand and Sakura started pushing her healing chakra into him. "Sakura stop! Don't heal!" Naruto said, his voice much darker and more feral.  
Sakura withdrew her hands like they had been burned. Naruto flashed through the remaining hand signs before he felt his counciousness being ripped away.

  
...

  
Naruto opened his eyes. Sunlight blinded him momentarily before he took in his surroundings. "What the..?" Naruto said and sat up. He was currently in a bed, in a room that resembled his old bedroom from when he was a genin. "Kurama?" He asked out loud. No reply. Naruto groaned. His body was sore all over and he couldn't get in contact with the furry tenant of his.  
He looked at his nightstand, finding a pair of green goggles with the name "Naruto" Written on a small patch on top of it.  
Naruto smiled. He wore them a lot before he became genin, almost all the time. He suddenly got a chill, noticing that he was still wearing his pajamas. He hurried over to the closet where he found several sets of an orange jumpsuit.   
"What." Naruto said. He quickly went over to the large mirror he had beside a cupboard. He gazed over his much smaller, less muscular, twelve year od body.  
"What?!" He shouted. He ran a hand through his hair. Kurama had said something about going back, but Naruto hadn't really thought of a specific memory, he thought about the day he became genin momentarily before he lost conciousness, but he couldn't possibly actually be in the past.

  
He threw off his shirt and sent chakra to the seal. A secure eight trigram seal appeared on his stomach. Naruto groaned. He grabbed a black t-shirt and a pair of orange pants from his closet, removing the rest of his nightwear before changing.  
"Wait, if I went back to the day I graduated, doesn't it mean that I have to go to the academy? What time is it?" Naruto spoke out loud as he hurried into the kitchen where his clock was.   
"I'm gonna be late!" Naruto shouted as he ran out of the apartment. He gathered chakra to his legs and found himself suddenly going at a much greater speed than what he actually ment to. He found himself at the academy, hurrying into the building. He rounded the hall as he saw his old classroom, or current, or is it old now that he is graduating? Naruto shook the thought out as he opened the door.   
Iruka was explaining the rules of the exam, the class being a little quiet, but not more than normal.

  
"Naruto! How could you be late for such an important day?" Iruka shouted. Naruto cringed. He laughed nervously and ran a hand through his hair again, it really was a habit he had gathered over the years, the stress of being Hokage for nearly six months actually taking a toll on him. He did love the job, but the amount of paperwork and bratty genins was a little much at times.  
"I'm sorry Iruka-sensei, I didn't feel so well today." Naruto said sheepishly. Iruka looked at him carefully. "Well, you don't seem too ill now, go sit down." Naruto spotted Ino and Sakura sitting at the row with Sasuke. Had he been there early he probably would have sit next to Sasuke, only to be knocked over by Sakura if he remembered correctly.

  
He saw a free spot next to Shikamaru and walked over. "Yo! Shikamaru, can I sit here?" Naruto asked. Shikamaru shrugged before he went back to his laziness. Naruto sat down and looked at Iruka. The man that was currently lecturing had grown a little old by the time Naruto became Hokage. Sure, he was a young man now, but when Naruto became hokage and Naruto himself was thirty two, Iruka was already in his fourties. While it wasn't that old, it still was some visible wrinkles that Naruto could occasionally mock, as long as it wasn't too much.

  
"The graduation exam is an exam on one of the three academy jutsu*, this year being the clone jutsu." Naruto groaned. He looked at his desk quietly. Could he pass if he used a shadow clone, would they notice? He had to pass at least, he had to become Hokage again.  
Naruto sensed some

one staring at him. He looked around quickly before he met a pair of pale eyes. Hinata. Naruto blushed slightly, as did Hinata as she noticed that he looked back at her. She turned red instantly and turned back to the blackboard.  
"I will go into the room next door, another chuunin will call your name when it is your turn. I'll be in there with Mizuki to recieve you." Naruto's eyes darkened. Mizuki, a traitor by heart. He was currently after the forbidden scroll to gain power, he later joined Orochimaru too.

  
Naruto looked out the window. He had to find a way to contact Kurama. Naruto spotted Sasuke sitting in front of him. This Sasuke was brooding, thinking about his revenge. Not the Sasuke Naruto knew, who had a daughter with the pinkette sitting next to him. Sakura, she was still a fangirl, with no medicational experience or strenght. All this one had was booksmarts, which really didn't help during the wave mission. The only time she started blooming was during the Chuunin Exam, but even then she wasn't exactly strong.

  
Naruto sighed. What was he going to do? He came on Sasuke's team because he failed the exam, but passed because of Iruka's judgment later that day after the scroll incident, but if Naruto failed he wouldn't show his abilities and still keep the idiot Naruto facade. Which he really didn't like, he was Hokage after all, not some measly genin.  
"Uzumaki Naruto." A voice called out. Naruto snapped out of his thoughts and stood up. He nodded at the Chuunin and followed the woman out of the room. Iruka and Mizuki was seated behind a desk, papers in their hands and a serious expression across their faces.

  
"Naruto, perform the clone technique." Iruka said. Naruto nodded slowly. He lifted his hands into the familiar hand sign. pouring chakra into the jutsu. "Bunshin no Jutsu*" Naruto exclaimed. His chakra exploded and ten over cooked clones lied on the floor. "Well, that's just unfair." Naruto deadpanned.   
Iruka looked at Naruto who examined the clones carefully. "Naruto, I can't pass this." Blue eyes met dark ones. "But sensei, it's the jutsu." Naruto started. Iruka stopped him with a hand. "The other students could make at least three properly functioning clones, you might have made ten, but they won't do any use in the field." Naruto looked at the clones.

  
He really had to fix the academy when he become Hokage again. First of all, the students chakra should be measured every year, and jutsu appropriate for their level should be taught. Naruto at this age had the chakra of a high chuunin to low jonin level, but he kept the chakra from the future, hence the ten clones. This meant that he had to do a jutsu ment for actual academy level students with kage level chakra with nearly no control of it, because his body literally can't handle it.  
Naruto dispelled the clones. He started to walk out the door before he muttered out loud. "Like anyone uses the clone jutsu when in the field." He shut the door behind him before walking out of the academy. He saw Hinata on the way out and smiled to her. She tried to smile, or at least Naruto thought it was a try, but she instantly turned red and hurried down the hall.  
Cute.  
Naruto found his favourite swing under the one tree in front of the academy. Many students had met up with their parents, showing off their headbands. Naruto gave a laugh. Nine out of these actually became genin.  
Naruto spotted Iruka standing alongside a man with a familiar hat. "Jiji*" Naruto whispered out loud. He hadn't seen the Hokage in nearly twenty years, yet the memories of him was so vivid.  
Naruto wanted to run over and give the old man a hug, but before he even managed to stand up he noticed his white haired teacher.

  
"Naruto." Mizuki said. Naruto looked up at the teacher. "Mizuki-sensei?" He asked. "Come with me for a little." Naruto nodded. He followed the teacher to his apartment's roof, where the two sat down while watching the sun slowly setting.  
"Iruka didn't pass you because he doesn't like you, he really wants you to be a great ninja at your full potential." Mizuki said with a small smile. Naruto frowned.

  
"The academy should deal with students better." He muttered. Mizuke raised an eyebrow. Naruto looked up at him. "Y'know, I really wanted to pass! I know I will be the greatest! I probably already am!" Naruto exclaimed, mentally laughing.  
"I guess I have no choice." Mizuki said. "There is a cabin right outside the walls of Konoha in the forest, at the west side. You get there after walking for twenty minutes. Your task is to sneak into the Hokage's office, take a scroll called 'the forbidden scroll'. It is a second exam for some more advanced students. You have to learn a jutsu from that scroll and when I come pick you up you can show it to me and you pass." Mizuki explained. Naruto nodded.  
"I'll do it and finish in no time!" Naruto shouted and ran towards the Hokage tower.

  
Naruto easily snuck into the office to the third hokage, he knew how the security worked and how to bypass all security seals. He looked up and saw the Third himself looking at him with a puzzled expression.  
"Naruto?" He asked. Tears almost formed in Naruto's eyes as his figure grandfather stood before him alive again. "Jiji, I failed the exam." Naruto said. Naruto looked as the Third's expression softened, the usual comforting atmosphere the man had spreading onto him.

  
"Naruto, you will be a great ninja one day, perhaps this day just wasn't it." The third said. Naruto looked at the floor. He could tell the third about his current condition. He could prove it, hell, he might be able to help Sasuke before the bastard gets his brother killed.   
Sasuke awakened the mangekyo after Itachi died, but there might be other ways to bypass it, it is emotional trauma of someone you love, it is just the matter of where, when and how to stage it. Itachi and Sasuke could switch eyes which would give them both the eternal mangekyo. Sasuke awakened the rinnegan after their talk with the Sage of the sixth paths, which probably is going to happen again, since Obito and Madara is still out there, including Zetsu.  
"Naruto?" The third asked. Naruto took a deep breath. To tell or not to tell. If he changed the future too much, would it be too unpredictable and ultimately make him loose? No, he won't loose. Perhaps some things will be different, but this is a grand opportunity to save many, perhaps everyone!

  
"Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen." Naruto said. The Hokage's eyed widened. "I know I'll probably sound a little crazy, but I want you to activate the privacy seals and send your anbu outside the window or something. No one can hear what I am about to say." Naruto said, using the best hokage voice his twelve year old body could handle.  
"Naruto? What's going on?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto looked at him directly. "This goes into the catagory of rule 546, part fifteen paragraph five. The rules that the fourth Hokage created." Naruto said. Hiruzen looked at him with a shocked expression. He sent the anbu out and activated the seals silently.

  
"Those are codes only known to the Hokages Naruto, how do you-?" Hiruzen started. Naruto took a deep breath again.  
"First of all, you should be aware of that I know my status as a jincuuriki*, who my parents are and a lot more." Naruto said. Hiruzen's eyes steeled. "From when?" He asked.  
"For me, mentally, twenty years ago." Naruto said. Hiruzen chuckled. "This is a good prank Naruto, but please refrain from joking when using such serious measures." Hiruzen said. Naruto shook his head. "I learned it from my academy instructor Mizuki, who currently believes I'm stealing the forbidden scroll for a false graduation exam. I learned about the kyuubi under similiar circumstances when I was twelve years old, when I also learned the Kage Bunshin no jutsu*" Naruto said.  
"What? Naruto what is going on? I'm not following. Mizuki is a traitor? You were twelve twenty years ago?" Hiruzen asked.

  
"I nearly died, jiji. This morning. The kyuubi taught me a jutsu that sent me back in time, I think." Naruto said, he chuckled slightly.  
"The kyuubi? Are you perhaps under his influence?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto looked him straight in the eyes. "Do you doubt my father's sealing abilities? I think you would trust your successor more than that." Naruto deadpanned.  
"So you do know who your father is." Hiruzen said. Naruto nodded. "Jiji, for me, sixth months ago I took the mantle as the seventh Hokage, I know everything about the village. Even the truth about the Uchiha incident, the Kyuubi attack, Orochimaru, Danzo, Madara and even more shit that's going to happen in the future." Naruto said.  
Hiruzen looked at him with wide eyes. "Naruto, this is very hard to believe, but there are things you are saying that must be the truth or else the security in our village would be less than I hoped." Hiruzen said and found his pipe, lighting it and taking a deep drag.  
"Jiji, I need to pass, I must watch over Uchiha Sasuke." Naruto said. Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?" He asked. Naruto frowned at him.  
"Sasuke his thirsty for revenge, he will not stop before he gets it, I think. I have the power to stop him any time and at any place. I want to save Itachi too, because shit is going to happen the next five years that no one will like and the best place to start fixing is that broody twelve year old arrogant asshole we call Sasuke." Naruto said.

  
Hiruzen chuckled, but his expression soon hardened. "You say many things are going to happen, should I know?" Naruto's eyes widened this time.  
"Wait, you accept it just like that?" He asked. Hiruzen huffed. "Naruto, I have lived through wars, seen your father raise form a shy genin to one of the greatest Hokage ever been, I have seen countless of wierd jutsu and techniques, you have one of the greatest demons inside your gut, time travel doesn't really seem quite impossible." He said.

  
Naruto grinned. "Thanks jiji, but hey, can I just borrow the scroll and kick Mizuki's ass back here, I need reasons to know about the kyuubi and kage bunshin." Naruto said. Hiruzen shook his head. "What? Why not?" Naruto asked.   
"First, your reason can be me, I owe it to you as for how I have failed you during your childhood and about your heritage, if you hadn't already known, you would have found out about the kyuubi today, which I personally think is far to early. If someone asks, you have trained with me and talked with me. second, you can go kick Mizuki's ass anyway, I hope you know how to sense and find?" Hiruzen asked.  
Naruto grinned. "I can much more than sense, but I really think it won't be necesarry. By the way, you should call Jiraiya. I need the toad summoning contract and there is the entire rasengan ordeal." Naruto said as he teleported out of the office.  
"Minato, I hope you're watching your son. He truly is great." Hiruzen smiled.  
...  
Naruto went to one of the highest places in the middle of Konoha, he sat down and gathered the natural energy flowing through everything and everyone. He entered sage mode after getting that perfect balance you need unless you want to turn into a frog or have no effect.   
Naruto found Mizuki heading to the cabin he talked about earlier and sped after him. On the way he created a clone to use henge* and transform into the forbidden scroll, after all, he had to lure Mizuki in.  
It took him a good ten minutes to reach the cabin from his previous position, his ears a little cold from the night wind. Naruto looked around before Mizuki made his entrance. "Naruto, good. You're here, now hand over the scroll." Naruto stood up, smiling.  
"Did I pass sensei?" He asked as he delievered the clone to Mizuki. The white haired man started to laugh. "Like a demon could ever become a ninja." Mizuki sneered. "It's better if you just die right here." Mizuki unsheated one of his fuuma shuriken*.   
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Oh, you mean your lack of wits actually can't see the difference between the scroll and the kunai." Naruto said.   
"Shut up, demon!" Mizuki shouted before a wicked smile grew on his face. "You know why the villagers hate you Naruto? Because twelve years ago the Fourth sealed the nine tailed fox into a boy, making him the demon incarnate. You are that boy, you are the kyuubi!" Mizuki said.

  
Naruto snorted. "Yeah, I'm a jinchuuriki, but no demon. You, on the other hand, is a traitor. Trying to steal the scroll. Good thing the Third is always watching. I'm bringing you in." Naruto said. He ran towards the teacher before Mizuki could react. Naruto kicked a hard uppercut up Mizuki's chin and continued with some hard jabs to the chest and stomach.

  
"Kage bunshin no jutsu!" Naruto shouted and ten clones formed around him. They went into a flurry of kicks and punches, working as a well oiled war machine. Naruto formed a rasengan in his hand, much bigger than what he could when he was this age before, after all, with so much chakra he had to use more to gain the same level of control.  
"Rasengan!" Naruto shouted as he slammed the sphere into Mizuki, the teacher getting knocked out immediatly. Naruto sighed. "I didn't even get tired." He said as he picked up Mizuki's body and teleported back to the Hokage's office.  
....  
"Jiji." Naruto said as he arrived in the office. Hiruzen looked at him with wide eyes. "You're done?" He asked. Naruto scoffed. "Like you didn't watch in that crystal of yours." He said. Hiruzen smiled. "I'm still surprised. I'll call for the IT, I want you to have something." The third said as he found four scrolls.  
"These scrolls are your heritage, I wanted to give them to you when you either came of age or became a trusty chuunin, but since you are far above eighteen mentally, I can make an exception. The first scroll is the money that belonged to your father and mother. Minato was hokage, so there's quite the deal in there when you add Kushina's savings. This scroll is the contract for the Namikaze mansion, where your parents lived. This one is all their belongings, like pictures, books, clothings. The last one here, is your father's notes and studies. I want you to take good care of all of them." Naruto nodded at the old man as he accepted the scrolls.

  
"There is also this," Hiruzen picked up a headband with a blue cloth. "Congratulations on graduating, Nanadaime." Hiruzen teased. "Though, for me you are a genin. I want you to go through the ranks like a usual ninja. You might have been hokage in your time, but you are not now. That is how it stays until you are officially coronated again." Hiruzen continued.  
"Uhm, jiji. Thank you so much, but I really hope you put me with Sasuke so I can watch him." Hiruzen nodded.

"Yes, is there anything more?" Naruto looked down for a second. "Haruno Sakura and Hatake Kakashi. They were my team back in the days, Team 7, I want that team back. I know how to improve and work with them. Kakashi was also my father's student, so I guess he might want to spend a little time with me, hopefully." Naruto chuckled.  
Hiruzen nodded. "I thought about putting you and Sasuke with him anyway, Sakura will probably be a good addition if you recommend her. Go and sleep now Naruto, tomorrow you have to meet up here four o'clock to take your ninja ID picture. The team elections are the day after that, so be well rested. Goodnight."   
"Goodnight, jiji." Naruto smiled as he flashed back to his apartment again.

  
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A/N  
Hokage - Fire Shadow, a military leader of Konoha, the hidden leaf village.  
Chakra - the energy flowing through everything and everyone, ninja use it to do jutsu.  
Jutsu - techniques that are almost like super powers, creating clones, illusions, fireballs, energy balls, lightning, water, wind, earth and controls of mind, shadow, body parts etc.  
Bunshin no Jutsu - Clone technique  
jiji - old man, Naruto's nickname for the Third Hokage  
Jinchuuriki - human sacrifice  
Kyuubi - ninetails  
Fuuma Shuriken - Windmill shuriken  
Kage bunshin no Jutsu - Shadow Clone Technique.  
If you're wondering about anything else, just google it.  
Read and Review, the more reviews that aren't just flames and hate are a real motivation drive. Flames and Hate is NOT appreciated, Don't like Don't read.  
Goodbyeee~~


	2. Chapter 2

A/N  
Hello guys! This is the second chapter of The deadlast Hokage. Thank you so much for the positive feedbacks and all you followers and favourites!!!  
If you have any questions you can review them and I'll try to answer all of them in the next release of the chapter.

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Naruto was sitting on his bed looking out the window. He was trying to plan what he was going to do and how he was going to do it. First of all, he would have to check the limits of this young body compared to his chakra levels and find out how he would help Sasuke and Sakura grow without turning them into evil followers. Currently, both of them hated him or disliked him at the very least.   
Naruto laid back down on the bed. What if he changed the future enough that he wouldn't get the ideal ending? What if Hinata died because of some stupid thing? Perhaps the Chuunin exam? No, Naruto can't think like that. He shook his head.   
"I should probably get some training." Naruto muttered as he heaved himself of the bed, grabbing one of his black tshirts and sweatpants. Naruto jogged to Training ground 7, he trained there nearly all the time in the previous timeline and he wasn't about to stop now.

What about Hinata? She isn't the same as she was when she and Naruto got married or had kids. By then she had grown and become one of the best ninja in the village. Right now, she was a shy girl who wants to be recognized.   
Naruto sighed. He wanted his Hinata. His wife. His everything, but she had to take care of Himawari and Boruto, even if he did find a way to bring her back here. Naruto looked at the ground. Could he even love her? This wasn't his wife, this was a completely different person. She would never be the same if Naruto stopped the war before it began or if he didn't let her sister get kidnapped by Toneri.

Naruto shook his head. He would have to think about the now and not the love life he might have. Naruto started to stretch out, feeling his muscles start to work. He started with physical excercise. This meant as many pushups, situps and pullops on any surface he could manage. Mostly on water, if he managed the control, on trees, if he managed the control or just on the plain old ground.

Naruto switched back and forth through the excercises until his stamina finally started to catch up with him, even his endelss supplies wasn't used to such sudden training. Naruto smiled as his body started to grow sore.  
He sat up by a tree and started meditating. Nothing was more calming than gathering nature chakra and meditating in sage mode. You could feel everything. The birds, the humans, the squirrels. You could sense the trees and flowers, feel the flow of chakra run through absolutely everything. Naruto looked at the sky, the sun warming every inch of his body. Didn't he have something to do today? Sure, he would have to check his chakra supplies and how many of his jutsu he could do. He could at least enter sage mode, do the kage bunshin, the rasengan, shunshin and hiraiishin. 

Naruto tried entering his mindscape again, but still being shut out by the seal which was stronger than ever. He sighed and stood up slowly. What was it... he had to train, talk to the Third, take a picture, train, check out his family's scrolls, find the estate, buy new clothes and equipment. What was the time? Naruto looked at a clock he had brought with him for safety.  
Quarter to four, well at least he wasn't that late. Panick spread through him suddenly. Training ground 7, while relatively clothes to the village, was still on the opposite side of the Hokage tower, and he had to pass through the gate so he wouldn't alarm the barrier.

"Shit." Naruto muttered as he started running. This could also be counted as training, so it wasn't a total waste. He sped up, using chakra to enchance his speed and due to his horrible control, he used far more and went way too fast compared to what speed he wanted to go at.

He arrived at the gate soon after, stopping momentarily to let the eternal chuunin, guards at the gate, Izumo and Kotetsu, look and check him in. Naruto waved at them before he continued to speed towards the Hokage tower. He dodged, gently pushed, jumped over, slid under, jumping up at the wall, anything he had to to keep up the speed while he ran through the bustling streets of Konoha.  
He got to the tower around five minutes to four, looking at the receptionist carefully. The woman behind the desk gave him a glare, but paid him no attention. Naruto looked down. He had forgotten by the looks and whispers he got when he was smaller. He knew of the pain of loneliness, of course. No one just forget that.

He looked at her carefully, before giving her a smile. He hurried to the Third's office. He knocked and waited until he got the "Come in" from the old man. Opening the door and bowing the moment he stepped in gave the photograph stationed in the room a little shock. He knew who Naruto was, he also knew that the blonde had zero to non social skills, he was rude and pulled pranks all the time.  
Naruto sat down on a stool centered in front of a plain wall. He gave a small smile as the photographer took the picture. The process of getting the picture on his ninja registration form took around five minutes. Hiruzen looked over it approvingly before he put down the paper. 

"Naruto, where is your forehead protector?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto looked up to see his bangs firmly hanging closely over his eyes. "I forgot, it's been six months since I, uh, since I thought about such things." Naruto said lamely. He forgot that the photographer was still in the room and laughed nervously.

Hiruzen nodded. "It's fine, just wear it tomorrow at least." He said as he took a drag from his pipe. The door into the office opened suddenly, a small figure dashed into the room. Before Hiruzen or the photographer noticed anything, Naruto was standing, holding a small child by his tshirt firmly. He noticed who the child was suddenly.

"Konohamaru." He said out loud. The child stiffened before he started to struggle against his grip. "Lemme go!" The child said and tried to bite Naruto's hand. Another person followed in through the door.  
"Honorable grandson, where have you been?" He asked. Ebisu then noticed Naruto holding said grandson and glared shortly, before Hiruzen gave a disapproving look towards the special jonin. "Ha, so now that you know who I am, you won't hurt me?" Konohamaru said. Naruto looked at the kid.

"No way I care about that." He said and dropped Konohamaru. The smaller boy fell to the floor with a thump but stood up immediatly. "I just have more important- actually." Naruto looked at Konohamaru. He knew that he had treated Boruto like this when he was Hokage. Shaking off his son because of importan matters.

"I just have something against hitting weaklings." Naruto said with a smile. Konohamaru huffed. "I'm not weak! I'm going to be hokage!" He shouted. Naruto gave a snort. "I bet you can't even beat that teacher of yours." He said. Konohamaru turned to Ebisu.  
"Hell yeah I can!" He shouted and ran at the teacher. Ebisu, taken aback by the sudden turn of events, suddenly found the Third hokage's grandson wildly punching after him. "Honorable grandson, you must not listen to people like him. I will teach you the best way to become Hokage, so follow me now." Ebisu said. Konohamaru ignored him.

Naruto looked at Hiruzen. The hokage nodded and Naruto teleported out of the room. Konohamaru didn't stop hunting Ebisu though, but the man was looking at the spot Naruto stood with a slightly shocked expression.  
Naruto arrived at his apartment. He found his forehead protector at the nightstand and looked at it fondly. Next to it was the four scrolls the third had given him yesterday. He took up the one with the money sealed inside.   
"Kai." He said as the scroll glowed, recognising his chakra. A note and several scrolls appeared. Naruto grabbed the note and started to read.

Naruto went wide eyed. This was more money that he imagined, the amount of ramen he could buy with this! Naruto shook his head. He had to be careful with this, first of all, he should by himself some new clothes and ninja equipment.   
Naruto grabbed the scroll with his parents belongings and unsealed that one too. Three different scrolls appear, all having different labels. One of them read Kushina, another read Minato and the third read common.  
Naruto unsealed Kushina's scroll. Clothing, pictures of her and her team, her family members and jonin uniform with a forehead protector Naruto thought he would never see. It was like a normal forehead protector, but the cloth was black and the signature Uzumaki swirl was etched on the metal plate.

"This is from Uzugakure*" Naruto muttered. He grinned, he had to add this to his new outfit. He put the forehead protector next to his Konoha one and continued to look through his mother's belongings. He found a blue scarf he recognised from around when he was eighteen. His mother had knitted this for him. Naruto smiled and put it to the side. The rest of Kushina's stuff was mainly cook books, notes, some novels, history books about Uzu which Naruto also was going to read later and a hair clip. He put the pictures to the side, wanting to have something to fill his apartment.

Naruto resealed the belongings he didn't want to keep at easy access and put the scroll to the side, moving onto his father's belongings. He unsealed the scroll. The first thing Naruto noticed was the folded white fabric which took up most of the place. He grabbed it and watched it unfurl as it reacher a longer lenght than his total height. He noticed the red flames etching the bottom immediatly and turned to coat to stare at the familiar writing.  
Fourth Hokage. 

Naruto grinned. The original, his father's coat. The most noticable thing to his father other than his spiky blonde hair. Naruto knew that the coat was way to big for him and folded it again. He had to take care of that, he also had his own coat that suited him much better. 

There were also a standard jonin uniform located in the pile of things, also a book that Naruto knew well. Jiraiya's first novel, The gutsy ninja. Naruto took the book and added it to his pile of the things he wanted to keep unsealed. He also found the recipe for the three pronged kunai, which he had to take to the weapon shop later. There were several history books here, some novels and romans. Lots of plain clothing and a pictures of his old team with Jiraiya, his students and several of himself and Kushina. Naruto smiled fondly, he put all the pictures to the side along with his mother's. 

He resealed the clothing and boring history books before moving onto the third scroll. He unsealed it and just a few things appeared. It was an album and a box. Naruto opened the album, finding several pictures from his parents' childhood and teens to adultlife and the time right before he was born. Naruto smiled fondly and put the album away. 

He opened the little box, finding four rings laying inside. Two made of silver and the other two a shiny gold. Naruto laughed, tears forming slightly in his eyes. "Engagement and wedding rings. Of course." Naruto said. He closed the box again and sealed it back into the scroll, adding a second layer of security seals to make sure that it wouldn't get stolen or lost.He sealed the resealed scrolls back into the sligthly larger scroll and put it next to the scroll with all the moeny. He found the one with his father's studies. Unsealing it revealed another scroll with more seals written on it. It took Naruto a great ten minutes of his life to come into the actual contents. 

A ninja's jutsu was the greatest secret, the reason many ninja was burnt on the spot when they died. Minato knew this and was extra careful, there was several blood seals, chakra recognition seals which was toned to family security, several hidden seals with booby traps and the alike. Inside was several notes on the hiraiishin and the rasengan, how Minato created and perfected them. Well, he didn't create the hiraiishin, but he really did make it a lot more better. It also had the recipe for the sealing tags used as beacons for the hiraiishin, which would make Naruto's life much easier.

There was also notes on differen seals and battle fit fuinjutsu*, Naruto made sure that he took time to read them later. Minato's own training regime was also written down. It consisted of jogging in the morning, training with team, then physical excercises, dinner and then chakra control and working with jutsu. Simple really, but it was effective.

Naruto resealed the notes, better be safe than sorry. He grabbed the recipes for the Hiraishin kunai and tags, also bringing with him a quite good amount of money. He had to go shopping.  
Naruto headed to the weapon store first, after all, making equipment took time and he also needed new kunai and shuriken sets, also new explosive tags and fuuma shurikens. He entered the shop quickly, hoping to get it done before the day was over, it was already five o'clock after all. 

"Welcome, is there something I can help you with?" A voice asked. Naruto turned to the counter where a man in his fourties stood proudly behind the desk. "Yes, I want to custom order something." Naruto said. He walked over to the counter and put the recipes on the table. I want both of these mass produced for me only and the tags stuck firmly onto the kunai." Naruto said.

The man studied the kunai carefully. "This is the fourth's kunai, I'm not sure about the tags but I can get it produced, it will take a while. How many are you looking for?" He asked. Naruto thought about it for a moment. "If you could make this occasionally so I can restock on it several times I can pay you more than the actual price, after all, I might use them and wouldn't like to be stuck without any weapons while on a mission. I'll buy some normal kunai first so you can create a large set to begin with." Naruto said.   
The man nodded. He started writing down the order. Naruto went and picked up several kunai and shuriken sets, in addition to some explosive tags and put them on the counter. The man nodded. "That will be one hundred and fifty thousand ryo." The man said. Naruto put the money on the counter. That hadn't even scratched the surface of his now bottomless wallet, but then again, ninja equipment was pretty cheap.

"The first set will be done in around a week, being double the size of a normal set to keep you going. You will gain a new set every second week, hope to see you again." The man said. Naruto nodded. "You sure will!" Naruto headed out. Now for the ninja armory and clothing shop.

Naruto hurried down the street, finding the shop pretty easily. He entered and noticed a few other people being inside. Some of them paid him no attention, others gave him the look or muttered something under their breath.   
Naruto hurried over to the clothing section, looking for a new style. He got a several pairs of black ninja pants, shorts and tshirts. He took with him a sleeveless orange hoodie to wear when he had time off. He then went to the armory section. He chose an orange hoodie with black stripes at the edge of the sleeves, similiar to the one he wore as hokage but as a hoodie, after all, he had just resently got that outfit and it was just unfair if he couldn't choose something similar. He was fond of tha tafter all. He also brought more black ninja pants. He got several sets of black ninja sandals and some dark orange ninja pouches to attach to his leg. 

He went to the counter with the clothing. The woman behind the counter looked at him with annoyance. Naruto sighed. "I have the money, now let me buy my stuff and I'll be no longer your concern." He said. The woman looked considering for a moment before she finally brought her hand forward, since the entire desk was occupied by clothes.   
"That will be twenty thousand ryo." She said. Naruto gave her the money and after she had bagged them he left. The sun was setting and Naruto walked calmly down the street. The entire day had been a rush and he couldn't wait to get home.

"Honorable grandson come back!" A voice shouted from behind Naruto as Konohamaru sped past him. "No way, I won't be taught by you anymore!" He shouted. Naruto looked at the ordeal, since Ebisu quickly caught up to Konohamaru, having the kid struggle against his grip.

Naruto took the bags and put them on the ground, leaving his hands free. Naruto created a shadow clone and it picked up the clothes and weapons. "Take that home." He said. The clone nodded and walked away.  
Naruto walked over to Ebisu and Konohamaru. "Ebisu, you shouldn't force the 'honorable grandson' to do anything now should you?" Naruto smirked. Ebisu let go of Konohamaru's hand. "It's you." He said. He gave a disapproving look to Naruto.  
"How can you think of learning that brat anything if you can't even notice the difference between a scroll and a kunai? The trash and the trashcan? The classroom and the students?" Naruto asked. Ebisu looked at him strangely.   
"Are the students the classroom?" Naruto asked Konohamaru. The boy shook his head. "Are the trash and the trashcan one and the same?" He asked again. Komoharu looked at him. "No." He answered. "If you seal a kunai inside a scroll, does the scroll become a kunai?" He asked both of them. "No." They replied at the same time.

"Then how come I am what is sealed inside of me?" Naruto asked Ebisu. The man looked down. "I have to consult with the third about certain matters soon, I guess it would be nice if I refrained from mentioning this to him?" Naruto said. Ebisu nodded.   
"Konohamaru." Naruto smiled. "If you want some training tips I would be happy to give them to you, but first you must think about what it means to be hokage and what it means to you." He said before he teleported back home.  
"Perhaps I should have trained with Konohamaru today instead? No, It'll be better if he tries a litte on his own. I'll train with him during the next days." Naruto said as he started sorting his clothes into the closet.   
"I guess I can go eat some ramen then." Naruto said and started heading out again.

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That's it for this chapter.  
Uzugakure is the hidden village in whirpools. It is in Uzu no kuni, the land of whirlpools where the Uzumaki lived. It was also Kushina's homeland.  
R&R, positive feedbacks are my fuel of inspiration.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N  
Hello guys! This is the third installment of The deadlast hokage. I hope you enjoy the story so far and thank you very much for positive feedbacks, favourites and followers.

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Naruto was currently putting on his newly bought clothes. He wore black ninja pants and sandals with his orange hoodie. His dark orange ninja pouch was located on his right thigh filled with some of his new kunai and shurikens.  
On his forehead was his trusty forehead protector of Konoha, while on his left side by his hip was the forehead protector from Uzugakure. Naruto looked at himself in the mirror, content with the outcome. He did miss is white cape though, he missed his life in general, but now he was here and he had to do the best he could with it.

Naruto looked at the clock. He had to meet in the academy in about half an hour, that was enough time to walk instead of running down the streets again. The blonde chuckled as he walked out the door and locked it after him.  
Walking down the street in Konoha early in the morning is one of the most relaxing things Naruto has ever done. You get to watch the stores upon, the sun rising and this calm silence that would fill the village. When Naruto became hokage, he would usually stress enough to forget about it, but when he first managed a day off, he would walk around and just watch the village he loved so much awaken.

He got to the academy at a reasonable time, there were still another ten minutes left before the orientation meeting started. Naruto walked into the classroom where many of the genins wannabe were bustling with energy.   
"Oi, Naruto? Didn't you fail, what are you doing here?" Shikamaru asked. Naruto looked at him. "Can't you see this amazing forehead protector? I am the best in this class after all." Naruto said. Shikamaru sighed. "Yeah okay, I don't care." He said as he sank back down onto the desk.

Naruto laughed. This is one of the smartest people in Konoha and here he is, thinking that this is more troublesome than anything.  
Naruto found Sasuke in the row infront of Shikamaru, lacking any Sakura or Ino, but Hinata also had a free spot. Naruto looked between the two several times before he moved over to Hinata. He was going to be on the same team as Sasuke, but Hinata, he wouldn't see her as much.

"Hey, Hinata! Can I sit here?" Naruto asked, flashing a smile. Hinata made little noise, but nodded quickly. "Great." Naruto said as he sat down next to her. He stole occasional glances, she was always so pretty. Her cute short hair and beatiful pale eyes. Naruto's thirty two year old mind held much control over him. 

"So Hinata, what are your expectations?" Naruto asked. Hinata looked at him nervously. "I-I believe t-that we will all b-become great n-ninja." She said. Naruto smiled. "I know you'll be great, you're probably the best female in our class!" Naruto said as he smiled even wider.  
"T-thank you, b-but I don't think s-so," She whispered back. Naruto looked down. "Hinata. I'm training in the late afternoon nearly every day unless something important comes up. Do you want to join me? We can be super strong together!" Naruto exclaimed.   
Hinata looked at him, blushing a lot to say at least. "I-I would have t-to ask my f-father, but I-I would r-really like that, N-Naruto." She said. Naruto gave her a thumbs up. "Great! We can talk to eachother tomorrow, I'll find you don't worry." Naruto said as Iruka came in.

"Alright everyone, settle down!" Iruka called out. The class found their seats and actually stayed silent for once. "We're going to sort you into teams of three, assigned to a jonin who will guide you." Iruka lifed a paper up from his desk.  
Naruto stared out the window as Iruka started to call out the different teams. He knew that only team seven, eight and ten survived the genin test. The rest of them failed in one way or another.  
"Team seven, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke-" A loud squeal was heard, interrupting Iruka. "And Uzumaki Naruto." A sudden bang to the desk was followed by the name, courtesy of Sakura of course.  
"Your jonin sensei will be Hatake Kakashi." Iruke finished. Naruto looked at Hinata. "hmm, I could have exchanged Sakura with you." He muttered.

"Team eight will be Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata and Inuzuka Kiba. Your jonin sensei will be Yuuhi Kurenai." Iruka said. The genin to be in question looked at eachother with small smiles. "Team nine is still active, team ten will be Akimichi Choji, Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino. Your jonin sensei will be Sarutobi Asuma." Iruka finished.

It didn't take long before some of the jonin sensei came and picked up their team, but as always, Kakashi was later than every single one of them. Iruka even left the classroom as he had to go to another meeting.  
Naruto looked at his teammates. "So do any of you think of an area you want to specialize in?" Naruto asked. Sasuke gave no reply, but Sakura was suddenly shouting. "Why should I listen to you, idiot?" Sakura shrieked. Naruto looked at her.  
"Sakura, we're going to be on the same team and we're going into a world where people die. If you want to create bad bonds with your team and cause inbalance it will surely makes us fail. If you don't want a wake up call by me, then you can wait until you get in a real life and death situation." Naruto said.

It was a little rude yes, but he did really love Sakura as a sister. As hokage he knew what risks posed on any missions and he was not going to let Sakura get herself hurt.  
"What do you know, Naruto!" Sakura retorted. Naruto laughed. "I have trained a lot, for a long time. There has been ups and downs, but you should know what kind of occupation you are choosing and not just follow that duckbutt over there." Sasuke gave him a glare at the comment. Sakura looked down.

"I know what I'm choosing." She said. Naruto smiled. "I'm not saying this to be mean, Sakura." Naruto said. "I just don't want to watch you get hurt if something happens." Sakura scoffed. "Like I am the one getting hurt, you didn't even pass the exam." She said.  
"Actually, I did graduate, so I guess I passed?" Naruto smirked. Sakura froze for a second. "How did you pass actually?" She asked. At this Sasuke had turned his attention to the two. "Oh you know, I just found a test a little closer to my level." Naruto replied. Sakura snorted. "Of course, they had to dumb it down for you." She said. 

Naruto looked away. He had forgotten how much Sakura looked down at him at this time. He knew she was a fangirl and not really strong, but the relationship between them had gotten much better after the Wave mission.  
"Believe what you want Sakura, I'm going to meditate." Naruto said as he sat down with his back to them. He started gathering nature chakra again. Really, the feeling of being one with everything and everyone was very calming. Naruto really wanted to help Sakura and Sasuke, but he had forgotten how uncooperating and unbalanced they were.

He sensed Kakashi walking towards the academy, who probably had been wasting time around somewhere. Naruto chuckled. Kakashi nearly got Sasuke disqualified from the chuunin exam because of his tardiness, it was kind of sad.  
Naruto let the nature chakra run out of his system, it would be a little hard to explain to Kakashi. Naruto turned around and walked towards the others. "Sensei* is coming." Naruto said. Sakura looked at him puzzled and Sasuke turned slightly. Just at the right time, Kakashi opened the door to the classroom.

"You're late!" Sakura shouted. Naruto huffed and Sasuke just turned away. Kakashi studied them. "Meet me at the roof in three minutes." Kakashi said before he used the body flicker to disappear in a swirl of leaves.  
Naruto nodded before he waved at his squadmates and followed his teacher with the same technique.

Naruto arrived at the roof, finding Kakashi leaning against the railing. "Yo! Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said. Kakashi turned. "You're quick." Kakashi said. Naruto shrugged. "I'm just that awesome." Naruto replied.  
"So, what do you think about this team sensei?" Naruto asked. Kakashi looked at him. "For now, I see nothing much. You then?" Kakashi asked. Naruto looked up for a second. "Sakura has potential, she has the control and capability to become a great medic, hell she would probably become a new Tsunade." Naruto said. Kakashi had an amused expression. "What about Sasuke?" He asked.

"Sasuke needs work, he has the raw talent and mind, but is too arrogant and doesn't care for those close to him, or at least those who try to get close to him. He is power hungry and drowning in revenge. Unless someone can get him off that path, he will probably do something drastic. I believe that Sasuke has amazing potential, hell he can be the strongest ninja ever, but his personality is holding him back." Naruto said. Kakashi's eyed widened. 

Naruto's personality was easily described by many, dumb, prankster, clumsy and no skill what so ever. This Naruto saw pros and cons about his team, thinking how to help them without even knowing them. Kakashi stared at him before he went back to his 'I don't care' look. 

"What about you then?" Kakashi asked. Naruto chuckled. "I have way to big chakra reserves for my body, but I am starting to get the hang of it. My biggest flaw in personality would be that I won't ever give up on my friends, even if they tried to kill me." Naruto said.

Kakashi looked at him. Before the older man could reply, the two others from their squad came through the door, Sakura being a little tired from all the stairs.  
"Well then, now that we have all gathered, why don't we introduce ourselves?" Kakashi said and motioned for them to sit down. The three genin hopefulls sat down at the little steps before the railing.   
"Uhm, sensei? What should we say? We already know eachother, so why don't you start?" Sakura said. Naruto smirked. Even with him changing much of what had happened already, some things stayed the same.   
Kakashi gave an eye smile. "My name is Hatake Kakashi, I have many likes and many dislikes, my hobbies are none of your concern. I have no dream." He clapped his hands. "Say something like that." The silver haired man replied. He pointed at Naruto. "You start." 

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, I like training, ramen, Konoha, my team and my family members. I dislike traitors and those who treat their friends like scum. My hobbies are gardening, training and reading. My dream is to be the best Hokage ever and carry on the will of fire." Naruto grinned. Kakashi looked at him fondly. He really was his parents' son.   
"Naruto, you're an orphan, how can you like your family members." Sakura asked. Naruto flashed another smile. "My family might not be alive, but I love my parents anyway and my family isn't necesarrily by blood." Naruto replied. Kakashi looked at him. "So you know." He stated. Naruto nodded. "Okay then, Pinky, you go." Kakashi said.

"My name is Haruno Sakura. I like, or the one I like is-" She glances at Sasuke before blushing. "My hobbies are-" She smiled and blushed even more. "My dream is-" She squealed loudly. "I hate Naruto and Ino-pig." She shouted out. Kakashi nodded slowly.  
"Next, Broody over there." He said.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke, I have no likes and many dislikes. My hobbies are nothing but training. My dream, no, ambition is to kill a certain someone." He said darkly. Naruto rolled his eyes. He really needed to do something about Sasuke, but what? It was like it was with Hinata, this wasn't his Sasuke and pulling the one from his timeline to here would just be cruel. He had a daughter and wife to take care of after all, not that Sakura really needed taking care of though.

"Okay, tomorrow we'll meet at seven o'clock for a survival excercise! Don't eat breakfast or you will throw up." Kakashi said as he waved his hand. He once again simply disappeared with the body flicker.  
"Sakura, Sasuke." Naruto started. His two teammates had already started to leave. "Guys!" He shouted after them. "Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura said. Naruto huffed. "Well, if you want to fail that test then it's fine! I'll do well with another team too, but Sasuke, you'll be held down and Sakura you probably won't be working with Sasuke again!" Naruto said.

The two stopped. "What do you mean, dobe?" Sasuke asked. Naruto rolled his eyes. "The genin test, we'll fail if this is how we act!" Naruto said. Sakura looked at him. "We're already genin." She said. Naruto shook his head. "We passed the academy, but we must get approved by Kakashi-sensei too, he can send us back to the academy. This test has a sixty six percent fail rate." Naruto said.

Sasuke looked at him. "How do you know this?" He asked. Naruto smiled. "I guess you could know, but then again, you guys hate me, don't care about me and wouldn't care if I had a major change at all. Not that you would notice." Naruto said. He was feeling slightly irritated, but then again, Sakura and Sasuke were kids. Twelve year olds, about to step into a world where it is kill or be killed for many.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go talk to the third." Naruto said. He walked past them. "Naruto, what is your buisness with the Hokage?" Sakura asked. Naruto stopped. "I'm just wondering if she perhaps my family should be more known and if perhaps I should let Kakashi a little bit more in on my condition." Naruto said. Sakura looked at him, a slight look of worry was on her face momentarily. "Are you ill or something?" She asked. Naruto grinned. "No."

Naruto walked away from his teammates. He headed to the hokage tower. He knew that the Third kept his heritage a secret so he would be liked as him and not as some important figure, or end up like Konohamaru, forever in someone's shadow. Naruto also knew that it was to protect him from his parents' enemies. He saw the tower come closer and closer as he moved forwards. 

Having that in mind, Naruto also wanted to be able to tell his teammates everything about him. He wanted the villagers to see him as Uzumaki Naruto, but not just the kyuubi jinchuuriki. He wanted the night of the kyuubi attack to actually be explained and not covered up. While perhaps the villagers might glorify his ass if they knew he was the son of Minato, but it was no secret for the shinobi side. Kakashi knew it, Shikaku probably knows, hell even Shikamaru might know.   
The only thing that kept the villagers from seeing was the shadow of kyuubi which was hovering over Naruto. He felt no shame of being the jinchuuriki and of course he felt no shame in being the fourth hokage's kid. He was stronger than Minato, having surpassed him a long time ago, but he was still a little unsure.

If the villagers liked him because he was Minato's son, would he loose his name. Would he turn out to be like Konohamaru, forever expected and just the fourth's son? Naruto passed the receptionist, keeping her no mind as he walked up to Hiruzen's office.  
He knocked three times, before the "Come in" sounded through the door. Naruto opened the door, giving a small bow to the old man. 

"Naruto, how was your day?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto sighed. "Sakura and Sasuke are even worse than I remember. I am here for another reason though." Naruto replied. Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" He asked.  
"I was wondering, when are we going to announce my heritage? I waited to go to my parents' estate because if I just wandered to the Fourth's old house, someone would ask questions. Also, I recently bought several sets of the three pronged kunai, because it is a part of my fighting style, but just having those outside the gates will raise questions in the other villages. Though I do want to have a name for myself, I really am not used to being so... secretive. Not anymore at least." Naruto said. Hiruzen frowned as he took a drag from his pipe.

"Perhaps the chuunin exam. If you manage to prove yourself, showing off, setting that rumor about your powers. At the final part of the exam, at the complete end, when we announce the winner, which I'm betting on is going to be you-" Naruto chuckled. "I can announce you as Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto. It will bring you even more attention and you will already be quite known throughout several villages, as the exam is broadcasted."  
Naruto nodded. "I can hold out until then. Then for the other reason I'm here. Kakashi, I think we should let him in on this."

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A/N  
Okay, so that's it. Please give me your opinion and if you have any interesting ideas about the outcome, please tell me. If there are any questions feel free to ask and I will do my best to reply in either a private message or on the next chapter.  
Sensei means teacher, also shunshin and Body Flicker are one and the same.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N  
Hello, this is the fourth chapter of The deadlast hokage. I still thank you for all the positive reviews and all you fantastic followers and those who add my stories to favourites, you make me smile. Anyways, if you have any questions please ask and I will reply.  
Also! I'm gonna add a little poll here. Multiple time travelers like in the last stories? Please vote in reviews or PMs. 

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Naruto woke up around nine, knowing that Kakashi would be late for the survival test. He found his clothes and went into the bathroom, taking a quick shower. After he was done he went to the kitchen, finding some of the instant ramen he had an endless suply on in his apartment.

Naruto's mind wandered over to his parent's estate. He never knew about it since his father had rigged it with several seals to hide it's location when no one was there, but it also explained why it wasn't in the files when Naruto took over as hokage.   
The third had apparently taken care of Naruto's heritage himself, keeping it safe from the normal files that could be stolen or destroyed by enemy ninja. Naruto had no access to these things and they were also hidden well by the hokage too, since they didn't find these scrolls when Konohamaru looked through his stuff.

Naruto waited for three minutes until his ramen was properly cooked. He ate it in silence as he thought about his next move. Yesterday he had been quite harsh with Sakura, Sasuke of course probably wouldn't mind anything Naruto said for now, but he knew that the girl was quite emotional. 

The bell test, he knew the purpose and how to pass, but he also had to show teamwork between him, Sasuke and Sakura. If he alone showed ability to cooperate, it probably wouldn't be enough. Naruto could always try and get an apprenticeship from Jiraiya when he came to town, leaving him to more private training if all should fail.

But he did not want that. He wanted to be Team seven again. He wanted his friends, his second family. Knowing them wasn't enough, the thought of loosing them more unbearable. He sighed loudly. He had to get through to them and soon.  
Naruto finished his ramen and looked around. His room really needed cleaning. Creating three shadow clones he got them to work. Starting gathering the dirty laundry his twelve year old self had left around. The empty ramen cups scattered on the floor also had to go.

He headed out to training ground seven to do his morning training, it was around two hours until Kakashi got there anyway. He started jogging with some chakra enchanced speed, finally getting enough control after lots of meditating yesterday to keep it down a notch. 

He arrived at the training ground a good five minutes later, being a little out of breath. He enjoyed the silence until suddenly.  
"Naruto, you're late!" Sakura shouted. Naruto groaned loudly. He had forgotten that Sakura and Sasuke would already be here. "Kakashi-sensei isn't here, so no, I'm not late." Naruto stated. He noticed Sasuke sitting underneath a tree a couple of meters away.  
"Kakashi-sensei said be here at nine, the clock is already ten!" Sakura complained. She looked over to Sasuke. "Right, Sasuke-kun?*" She chirped. 

Sasuke just went with the Uchiha trademark phrase, "hn." Naruto chuckled. "Kakashi-sensei isn't going to be here in a while, so why don't we just train until he gets here?" Naruto proposed. Sakura looked at him for a second, a quizzling look on her face. "Hey Naruto, I didn't notice before now, but what is that forehead protector on your hip?" She asked.

Naruto's eyes wandered to the forehead protector from Uzu. "Oh, this? It's my mother's." Sakura's eyebrow twitched. "You don't have any parents." She said. Naruto rolled his eyes. "Sakura, I told you this yesterday, I have parents, even though they aren't alive."  
Sakura blushed once again. "I-, that makes sense." She said. "But what is it? I haven't seen that mark before." She continued. Naruto lifted the headband slightly. "I'm sure you have, noticed the mark behind the jonin vest?" He asked. She nodded, Naruto showed her his left shoulder, where the Uzumaki mark along with a little jewel like the one he had on his orange jumpsuit decorated it. 

"That is the mark of the Uzumaki clan, the leading clan of Uzushiokagure in the land of whirlpools. The clan is nearly instict after the village's destruction, those who survived scattered across the world, my mother came to Konoha for some other reason, she was related to the first hokage's wife after all, I think she was my mother's great aunt or something like that. Anyways, mom died during the kyuubi attack, saving me and the rest of the village." Naruto explained.

Sakura looked at him like he grew a third head. "How do you know all this? Just until the genin exam you didn't show any sign of being anything than a brainless idiot!" She exclaimed. Naruto tilted his head. "I have always understood many things, but I'm not good with books or sitting still. Also, the only reason I didn't manage those low level academy techniques is because I probably have more chakra than our entire class put together." Naruto said.  
Sasuke suddenly appeared beside the two. "You said you wanted to train, let's have a spar. I know you failed the test, but I wonder what kind of special test you did." he said. Naruto smirked. "I'll hold back then. I don't want to hurt you." He said as he held up two fingers. 

Sasuke made the same movement and Sakura jumped out of the way. "Sakura, please call the match when one of us is knocked down or you believe they are too injured to battle." Naruto said. "You ready Sasuke?" He asked. Sasuke nodded. "As I'll ever be."   
Sakura held her arm up before she shakily swung it down to symbolise the beginning of the match. Sasuke sped at Naruto, cocking his fist back. Naruto's eyes narrowed. He crouched slightly and when Sasuke's fist came towards him he moved slightly to the side, allowing Sasuke's fist to glide right by him. He grabbed the extended arm and pulled Sasuke further back, using the other boy's speed to make him umbalanced.

Sasuke growled as he tumbled to the ground. Naruto smiled at him. "Aren't you going to fight Sasuke?" He asked. Sasuke jumped to his legs again, going for a roundhouse kick. Naruto used his left arm to stop the foot and again grabbed the leg. Sasuke then used Naruto as an anchor to twist his body, using his opposite hand to slam down on Naruto's head.

Naruto used the leg he was holding to pull Sasuke to the ground. Sasuke's fist hit him in the shoulder, quite hard for a twelve year old, but not hard for Naruto. Naruto channeled chakra to his finger, flicking Sasuke's forehead in the split second he was on the ground. Sasuke flew off by the amount of strenght, not as pure as Tsunade's but when it was chakra enchanced it wasn't that far off.

Sasuke crashed into a tree, groaning as he slid down to the ground. "Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screamed as she ran towards the boy. She immediatly checked his body around for any serious wounds. "Naruto, how could you?!" She asked. Naruto shrugged. "I tried to tone it down, but he was boring me." Naruto looked at the ground. His spars with Sasuke in his timeline was always filled with adrenalin, every fight from his timeline had some kind of excitement. When he fought Shikamaru he always had to keep his surroundings, because the lazy jonin always made some super clever traps. 

Fighting Sakura was plain scary, Hinata was speed and agility, with Kiba he had to watch out for multiple opponents. Shino had his bugs to suck out his chakra, so he always had to make sure not to waste any and try and go taijutsu only. When he fought tenten he worked hard with his wind styled jutsu. With Chouji it was a real battle of strength, the chubby man being a real brute. Battling Ino wasn't as fun, as she couldn't really use her speciality ninjutsu with him because of Kurama. The only thing that was hard against her was her clever use of genjutsu and traps.

Fighting Lee, well he had the no ninjutsu restriction with him, but battling that jonin had earned him many losses and many wins. He nearly had the same rivalry with Lee as Kakashi had with Gai, it was a little scary.  
Naruto went over to Sasuke, looking over his body quickly. "He's just a little knocked out from the impact, he has no broken bones or the alike. He'll be fine by the time Kakashi-sensei gets here. Hopefully, this spar has made him understand that he isn't the strongest one out there." Sakura sighed, reliefed that her crush was fine. 

"Well then, why don't we discuss a strategy against Kakashi-sensei arrives?" Naruto proposed. Sakura looked at him, before her eyes wandered back to Sasuke. "Shouldn't we wait for Sasuke-kun?" She asked.  
"He's uncouncious, he can't say anything. He won't wake up until Kakashi-sensei gets here and then it will be too late." Naruto said. Sakura looked conflicted, holding Sasuke's hand even though she probably knew he wouldn't like it.  
"Sakura. You need to start thinking about your own career and not just follow Sasuke." Naruto stated. The pink haired girl looked up. "I know what I'm getting into if you're referring to yesterday." She said bitterly. Naruto shook his head.  
"I'm talking about speciality. I'm a ninjutsu and fuinjutsu specialist, meaning that I mainly only use them when I battle. Having something like that makes it easier for the hokage to make perfect teams to certain missions." Naruto explained. Sakura nodded in understanding.

"From what I know about you, you haven't got that much chakra, but near perfect control over it. This is good, you can work your chakra up slowly but surely, so you won't loose control. I was born with huge amounts of chakra, so I have nearly none control, although it is much better now than when I started." Naruto said. Sakura huffed in slight embarrasment.   
"Using your control though, you can become a great medic with training. We have nearly none medical ninja that actually are battlefit, those we have are starting to get out of shape. Perhaps if Tsunade came back, you could train under her." Naruto winked. Sakura looked at him with wide eyes.

"Why are you helping me? I have never even looked your way before now." Sakura said. Naruto smiled. "I know what you can achieve, if you really want to try." Naruto said. He sat down next to Sakura. "Kakashi-sensei has never passed a team before." He said.  
"What?!" Sakura asked. Naruto grinned. "He apparently has some impossible test, but if I remember correctly both the fourth and the third hokage has done the belltest, since the third taught Jiraiya, who taught the fourth, who taught Kakashi, I believe that is what we're facing." Naruto said. Sakura nodded in agreement. "I see your point." She said. 

"The belltest is a teamwork test, my biggest doubt about this was that you and Sasuke would abandon me completely, you just following Sasuke and Sasuke doing his arrogant thing." Naruto sighed. "I think the best strategy is allow Sasuke to do his thing and use his boldness as a distraction." Sakura said.

Naruto stared at her. "Y-you actually-" "Naruto. I might not be physically strong, but I'm smart. After listening to you yesterday, it really got me thinking. Seeing you fight Sasuke today and hearing your words, I really want to believe that I can be strong and that we can help Sasuke, after all he has that entire kill a man complex." She said, stars in her eyes.

Naruto looked down. "That man is his brother, Uchiha Itachi, who murdered the entire Uchiha clan." Naruto said. Sakura suddenly lost color in her face. "H-his brother? Why would Sasuke's brother do that?" She asked.  
Naruto stared into nothing. "I'm not sure, but I know that Itachi was a splendid ninja, I think he could rival Kakashi-sensei and he is one of Konoha's best ninja." Naruto muttered. "I think that there's something underneath that incident and I want to find out what and do that before Sasuke kills Itachi." Naruto finished.

Sakura nodded. "Then we'll do that!" She smiled. "We find out what happened and if this Itachi really was a bad man, we'll help Sasuke, but if he's a good man, we'll help him too!" Sakura said. Naruto smiled. "I agree. So, I can send a clone to run straight at Kakashi-sensei, using that to an advantage all three of us will hide, Sasuke would do that anyway. After my clone is gone, we'll wait until Sasuke try and fight Kakashi. you lay traps around the area and I'll be Sasuke's backup." Naruto smiled. "I can work together with Sasuke, even if he doesn't want to."

Sakura nodded. "We better get ready then, I hope Kakashi-sensei comes soon, I'm hungry." Naruto froze. "You didn't eat?" Naruto asked. Sakura shook her head. "He said not to, remember?" She said.  
"Sakura, he adviced us not to eat, in case we would throw up, but that was a play. Without energy from breakfast, the most important meal of the day, it will be much easier to dispatch us." Naruto said. He found a scroll hidden under his jacket. He opened it and unsealed the content. From the scroll came a backpack which had several other scrolls stuffed into it. 

Naruto searched through the bag. "There." He said. He unsealed a scroll and several nutrient bars appeared. "Take two, eat one now and save one for later. We don't want you to collapse." Naruto said. Sakura picked up two bars and unwrapped one, eating it quickly.

After the two discussed minor strategy plans and counterattacks, Kakashi finally arrived at the training ground. "Hello everyone! Might someone explain what happened to Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.   
Naruto laughed. "We had a spar around two hours ago, I flicked him a little too hard." Naruto said. He flicked his finger to show the movement. Kakashi looked at him. "You flicked him." He stated. Naruto nodded slowly. "Yes, I just said that sensei, pay attention." Naruto said. '

Sasuke stirred, slowly opening his eyes. "And he is alive!" Naruto exclaimed and reached a hand to Sasuke. The other boy shoved the hand away before standing up quickly. "I don't need your help, looser."  
Naruto groaned. Sakura looked between the two of them, doubting what to say or who to support. Kakashi just smiled as he dragged out two bells. Naruto winked at Sakura.

"Okay, so from now until this timer goes," he showed a little clock. "You guys will try to take these two bells from me. The one who doesn't get a bell gets sent back to the academy." Kakashi said.   
"But, we can't get sent back to the academy!" Sakura said. Kakashi looked at them. "If I don't pass you, then yes you can." He said. Naruto just shrugged. Sasuke looked fairly annoyed.

"Okay then, start." Kakashi said. The three genin disappeared into the forest, hiding from their sensei. Naruto looked around. "There is no way we can hide from a jonin, or the others can't, I'll probably survive." He muttered silently.   
He created a clone to run out towards Kakashi, shouting out to him that they would have to fight fair and square. Naruto smiled at it, Boruto usually acted like this sometimes. It was a lot like him from when he was a kid, yet Boruto wasn't the same. He didn't know true harships, the spirit of the ninja had changed. 

After his clone dispatched, a huge fireball came at Kakashi. "There he is." Naruto said and jumped forwards. He stayed hidden in the foliage of a tree while he watched Sasuke fight Kakashi, who was reading in his favourite orange book.  
Naruto sped down, using Sasuke's crouching position as a boost to send a kick at Kakashi's chin. The jonin blocked skillfully and tried to grab Naruto's foot, but he withdrew his leg quickly, having perfect control over his body in mid-air.  
Naruto created a clone to drag him out of the way as Kakashi tried to follow up with a kick. Using Naruto as a distraction, Sasuke sent a fireball straight at the two of them. Both Naruto and Kakashi used the substitution technique to get away.  
Kakashi frowned. "That's no way to treat a teammate, Sasuke." He said, but Sasuke ignored him. He went at Kakashi again, but this time Naruto got into the crossfire. He worked well around Sasuke, even if Sasuke tried to avoid him. Naruto created three clones to surround Kakashi, using them to hold the sensei down, even if just for a little while.

"Sasuke, get away and let my clones handle him a little, use your strongest fireball from afar!" Naruto shouted. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "I can handle him on my own!" He shouted. Naruto groaned. "Just do it!" he shouted and the clones started to take over Sasuke's match with Kakashi. 

Sasuke soon jumped back and even though he didn't do it because of Naruto, he created a huge fireball and sent it Kakashi's way.  
"Wind style, great breakthrough!" Naruto shouted as he sent a wave of wind into Sasuke's fireball, fueling the fire into a giant inferno. Kakashi's eyed widened when the clones stuck onto his legs. He noticed a large block of wood further away and replaced himself with it.

"Predictable, sensei." Sakura said as Kakashi noticed a large wooden log came crashing down. He jumped away quickly, but Naruto was waiting. He channeled chakra to his feet to create a burst of speed, sending him off like a rocket towards Kakashi. His hand reached for the bells. Seconds felt like years as Naruto got closer and closer, but Kakashi knew something was going to happen. He grabbed Naruto's arm, flinging him away. He saw the blonde make a handsign with his other hand, but nothing happened. Naruto crashed into a tree, but the blonde was soon standing, if a little wobbly.

Naruto smiled. "Sasuke! Now!" Sasuke sent a barrage of shuriken at Kakashi. Kakashi whipped out a kunai and blocked the shuriken. "Sakura!" Naruto shouted. Sakura ran towards Kakashi, followed by Naruto form the opposite side. The two both got grabbed by Kakashi and lifted into the air. "Now, now, don't be too violent." Kakashi joked. Naruto grinned as a poof of smoke appeared. Kakashi threw the genin away, jumping out of the cloud soon after.

Sasuke was panting, but still standing. Naruto was smiling broadly and Sakura was on her knees, half laughing and half using all her breath up to get oxygen sufficent enough for the amount of energy she used.   
The timer ringed, sounding through the moment of silence in the training ground. "Well then, time's up." Kakashi said. "That means you-" "Sensei." Naruto interrupted. He lifted two bells up. Kakashi looked from Naruto to the bells on his hip. "Good try Naruto, but you would have to actually remove my bells for a trick like that to-" a small poof interrupted Kakashi, showing that there was no bells at all.

"What?" Kakashi asked. Naruto grinned. "When you held me and Sakura, I used a clone to create a distraction so I could grab the bells, it also bought Sakura the time to cast a minor class area genjutsu on your hip to make you believe that the bells were still there. Sasuke was excellent due to the fact that he made you stand still, giving me and Sakura enough time to get close to you." Naruto said.

Kakashi nodded. He felt a little embarrased due to the fact that he didn't catch such a minor genjutsu, but he had to hand it to the kids. "Well then Naruto, who are you going to give the second bell to? You get to choose which one to send to the academy as you have both the bells." Kakashi said.

Naruto shook his head. He threw a bell to Sakura and the other to Sasuke. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You want to go back to the academy?" Kakashi asked. Naruto looked at him. "Of course not, but I'd never abandon one of my friends, not for anything." Naruto proclaimed as he looked at Kakashi with steel eyes.

Kakashi looked at him. "Well then, I guess I would just have to let you all pass." Kakashi said. Sasuke looked slightly shocked, Naruto went over to Sakura and helped her stand. She smiled slightly at him, but looked at Sasuke worriedly.   
"From today on, we're Team seven. Report at the bridge towards this training ground at ten tomorrow and we'll get our first mission." Kakashi smiled. Naruto grinned. "Well, I gotta go find Hinata." He said and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.   
He arrived at the Hyuuga compound, meeting the guard at the gate. "Hey, I'm from Hinata's class, or previous class. I need to talk to her." Naruto said. The Hyuuga looked at him, knowing who he were.   
"I'll go see if she wants to see you. Even though I don't like it." He said and headed off in a direction Naruto assumed was Hinata's quarters. 

It took around ten minutes before Hinata came running. "Naruto-kun!" She said as she noticed him. "I-I got permission to train with you!" She smiled. Naruto grinned back, he loved that smile. "Great! What if we start to train in the evening, the mission office close for genins around six, so if I come pick you up here around seven, we can train until you need to get back home." Naruto said. Hinata nodded. 

"Well, I can't really today, since I really need to buy some food more appropriate, I can't live on ramen, I'll be short forever." Naruto said. Hinata laughed softly, but also blushing wildly. "T-that would b-be great!" Hinata stuttered out, before her eyes rolled back.   
Naruto caught her falling body gracefully. He picked her up bridal style, holding her closely. He carried her into the compund and some branch members smiled at him as they pointed the way to Hinata's quarters.  
The branch side members of the Hyuuga clan wasn't really mean to Naruto, some of them disapproved of him, but many of the ninja understood what it was like to have a seal placed on them against their will and other people looking down at you for it.  
Naruto arrived at Hinata's room after five minutes of walking, he laid her softly down on the bed, brushing her hair away from her face. 

"Sleep now, Hime*" He whispered before he went home.

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A/N  
So that was it for this chapter! Some NaruHina at the end there =v=.  
Hime - Princess  
kun - an honorific used in japan.  
I did a quick sketch on Naruto's outfit, check it out if you'd like.  
http://gillyakandaine.deviantart.com/art/Naruto-629912084


	5. Chapter 5

A/N

AAAAnd I'm back. Hello guys, thank you for your supports with favs, follows, comments etc. This is the fifth chapter of The Deadlast Hokage, hope you enjoy.

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Naruto woke up the next morning, his heart on an unusual ease since he came to the past. Grabbing his clothes the physically preteen made himself some nurturing breakfast after shopping the day before.   
After completely devouring his breakfast, he headed of to training ground 7, to do his morning training. He was going to meet up with his team later for their first mission, but it was still enough time to do his morning training.   
He started doing the physical workout like always, push ups, sit ups, pull ups on any surface. His control had gotten a lot better, but he wouldn't dare try tampering with any special seals yet. He could make the ones less complicated, but right now he really needed to get that control down,

Kurama had yet to speak with him, he couldn't even enter his mindscape. Naruto wasn't sure wether it was the seal itself that shut him out, or the fact that Kurama had used lots of chakra to send him here and may in fact be sleeping.  
Naruto had really hoped to have one friend from the future with him, while he wasn't exactly alone, it still felt like he was running around with someone he didn't know. Was Kurama even there? What if it was the Kurama from the past, the one who would do annything to get out at any time?

Naruto held his breath. He really wanted to have one of his best friends with him. He started running laps around the training ground, speeding up at every single thought that made him slightly miss home. He couldn't think of that future anymore, it is somewhere out there, but not here. It was in an entirely other timeline.

Naruto went over to a training dummy. Practising his taijutsu and occasionally channeling chakra to his punches. Then there was Kakashi. If Naruto wanted to change the future, starting from now, he needed space to move in. Having Kakashi's watchfull eye over him would surely be a plague, especially during the wave mission. For now, the third was quite busy with his paperwork, so they had pushed the matter to another time, but during the wave mission it was sure to come out to at least Kakashi. Both Kakashi and Naruto had lived through wars, Kakashi could probably see that on Naruto. It wasn't something that leaves you unscathed.

Naruto then created five shadow clones, two who sided with him and three on the opposite side of the training field. "Team battling, remember to use different styles." Naruto shouted. The clones nodded. "Yes, boss!" They replied and started sparring. Using the clones both as supports, attack and defensive partners, Naruto soon got back the memories of having to fight three against three. He really hadn't done it in such a long time, because when he was younger he would always run out on his own.

This Naruto knew better. He knew how significant teamwork could be during a mission, sometimes the three teammates would have to work as one unit, not three seperates. The jonin was actually supposed to make that happen, but something was off with Konoha's learning system. Naruto would have to remind the third of that.

Talking about the third, he died during the Chuunin exam final, which led to Tsunade's return. The only way to bring Tsunade back and keep the third alive was to find something so good that even Tsunade can't refuse.   
Jiraiya would probably coming up with something, maybe. Even worse was how Naruto was supposed to meet these people. He nearly broke down crying seeing the third, how would he react to seeing his godfather again? Tsunade was still alive when he became hokage, but that didn't mean he didn't miss her.

Naruto smashed his fist into the last clone, the others already dispatched. He let out a scream of frustration. Why was there so many things to be done? There was already tons of work being hokage, planning exams and teams, but planning the future several years ahead, having to be careful for every step he took? Naruto hadn't been prepared for this. Why did he have to 'die' in the first place? He had a son and a daughter, a wife, friends, precious people he needed to take care of. 

Narutu looked around. It was probably time to meet up with his team for their first mission. He hurried along towards the assigned meeting spot on a bridge nearby the training ground, Sasuke and Sakura already at the scene. "Hey." Naruto said as he got closer to the two. "Good morning, Naruto." Sakura replied as she looked at Sasuke. The boy just stared down to the ground with his arms crossed. "Good morning, Sasuke." Naruto said as he bumped his fist into Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke sent him a glare in response. Leaning against the railing next to his teammates, the new members of team seven waited for their sensei.

Kakashi was late as always, but he arrived at the bridge with a happy "yo." as he made them alert of his presence. He then took them with him to the Hokage tower at the Mission desk office. Iruka, Hiruzen and some other ninja and civilians Naruto didn't know was seated there. They all stood side by side as Hiruzen told them the list of available missions. Naruto and Hiruzen shared a glance, The third hokage knew that Naruto was far above his teammates skill level, after all he had become hokage. The only way for Naruto to have a team closer to his level was if his teammates trained super hard or if he waited until the chunin exam, got promoted and got a new squad, but it wasn't likely.

"We'll take the weeds at the farm outside, Hokage-sama." Kakashi said calmly. Hiruzen nodded and handed Kakashi the mission briefing. Naruto groaned silently as the team headed out.

They arrived at the farm after ten minutes of walking. The three genins started to pick up the weeds, careful not to pick any of the flowers around. Naruto fell back on his back, screaming in a low frustration. "Kakashi-sensei!" He shouted. Kakashi raised an eyebrow at him. "Why are we wasting our time as a team doing D-ranks? The chuunin exam is coming up and it's better to train on cooperating and actually excercising rather than do some silly academy chores!" Naruto said. Kakashi looked at him. "I guess you do have a point, but we will have to finish this mission quickly then, so we can train later. It's still early." Kakashi said.

Naruto grinned. "No problem!" He said as he crossed his fingers. "Shadow clone jutsu!" He exclaimed and several clones popped into existence. "Grab the weeds, and hurry." Naruto ordered. The clones got to work, leaving nothing but the herbs and flowers around in the field. "Nice job, Naruto!" Sakura said as she threw away the weeds in her hand. Sasuke just glared at him, walking over to the still sitting Naruto.  
"Why are you so strong? Just until the genin exam you were failing at everything! Why? I should have your power!" Sasuke screamed.

Naruto stood up, giving Sasuke a steel look. "You shouldn't have anything! You have trained yes, you have your set of skills, but you are weak Sasuke. You haven't been in a real life or death situation, you know nothing about me! Yet, you try and judge me, try and belittle me who you just assume is worse than you." Naruto looked down. "I know you have great potential Sasuke, I want to help you with it, but I can't just give it to you." Naruto said.

Sasuke glared at him. "Like you could teach me anything!" He said. Naruto smirked. "Oh yeah? What about how I kicked your ass the other day?" Naruto asked. "I started training for real seven years ago, hours and hours of work, you could barely lift your fist." Naruto said. Sasuke's glare burrowed into him, but Naruto shook it off. "Let's go back to the Hokage tower and report. I've got better things to do than this." Naruto said and started to walk towards Kakashi, who had gotten ready for a fight. 

Sakura looked at Sasuke longingly. "Sasuke-kun, perhaps you should try to listen to Naruto? Perhaps he can he-" "Shut up." Sasuke interrupted. "I don't want anything to do with that dobe, he still needed to have the genin exam dumbed down for him." Sasuke said. Naruto suddenly stood in front of Sasuke. "You know what Sasuke? I've known you since we started to the academy. I know you want to kill your brother because he killed your family, but you're only looking at the surface of things, you always are. I couldn't perform the clone technique because where you have a pool of chakra, I have an ocean. You're levels can't compare to mine, making it impossible for me to use that little raindrop of chakra. Where you use the chakra in the size of a rock to create a clone, I have to use a grain of sand. Go and try to pick that one grain without picking up another." Naruto said before he looked at Kakashi.

"I'm going ahead, sorry for my outburst." He said and used the body flicker to the Hokage tower. Naruto headed up the stairs to the Third Hokage's office, where Hiruzen was currently taking his break. "Naruto, why aren't you with your team?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto sighed. "I got a little mad with Sasuke, blew up a little. They are coming soon to file the report on the successfull mission." Naruto said. Hiruzen nodded. "Anything I can help you with?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto looked at him. "Don't you think Sasuke should know? About the massacre? About Itachi? They were his family, if he kills Itachi like he preaches he will do and then later learns the truth, he will never trust Konoha." Naruto said.

Hiruzen looked at him. "Can you guarantee that he will trust Konoha if we told him?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto shook his head. "No, but I'm positive that I can point him in the right direction. There is lots of things going on, how they all connect is simple. The kyuubi attack, The massacre, events that will happen. I really think you should know, but knowing all the events is dangerous, but I can tell you one thing. Madara is alive, he will attack. He is behind many things, including those I mentioned." Naruto said.

Hiruzen's eyed widened. "But, Madara died a long time ago. He was killed by the first hokage." Hiruzen said. Naruto shook his head. "He lived, although barely. He's using a pawn to do his things, like extracting the kyuubi from my mother, helping Itachi with the murder of the clan. Then there is Danzo, you should really stop him now. He isn't going to quit." Naruto said. 

Hiruzen nodded. "I know, but I can't just arrest him. His people will get him out and I don't have any evidence that will allow me to kill him." Hiruzen said. Naruto sighed. "I figured. The chuunin exam, you have to be prepared for that, also give me the mission from Tazuna, he will be arriving in a few days. He's from the land of waves, smells of alchohol." Naruto said. Hiruzen nodded. "I think your team is back, you should talk it out with Sasuke. I give you the permission to tell him about the Uchiha clan if you deem necesarry, but if he runs away from Konoha, I hope you have a plan for it." Hiruzen said.

Naruto smiled. "Don't worry, I know exactly how it will turn out." Naruto waved and left the office, leaving a pondering Hiruzen behind. After Naruto found his team, he noticed Sakura's sad look and how Sasuke seemed like he was a volcano trying to erupt. Kakashi had probably tried to calm Sasuke down, but it didn't seem to work out.

"Hey guys, I was just talking to the third." Naruto said. Sakura looked at him. "You're talking to him quite a lot aren't you?" She said. Naruto shrugged, "I'm just that important." He said. Sasuke scoffed. "Like a clanless orphan like you is anything special." Naruto's eyes widened. "Did you forget? I told you like, yesterday? I'm from a clan, the Uzumaki clan, but mine was also killed off." Naruto said.

Sasuke tensed. He looked at Naruto with dark eyes. "Don't pretend you can compare to me." He said. Naruto stared at him. "Sasuke, you're just a revenge thirsty little brat who can't look underneath the underneath, who whines about everything and has a pride equally big to the Hyuugas, except Hinata, She's great." Naruto said.

"You know nothing about me!" Sasuke said. Naruto just looked at him with a deadpan expression. "You don't know anything about me either- so just stop." Naruto said. "We'll go train, you guys still have lots of work to do with both your physical and mental strength. Sasuke, you should really try to use your head. Can one ninja really just kill an entire clan inside a ninja village, with guards and everything? How can the Uchiha be so elite if they can't even defeat one of their own." Naruto said. He looked at Kakashi who was staring at him with wide eyes.

"Really sensei, I should tell you something, but I don't know if I can trust you too much yet." Naruto said. Kakashi nodded slowly. "Does the third-" "Yes. He knows everything." Naruto said. Kakashi nodded. "Then I'll trust his judgement." Kakashi said. Naruto smiled, "Then let's go to the training ground, I have a perfect routine." He said and hurried off, his team trailing behind him.

They headed to the training ground, Sasuke still fuming with anger, but for once using his head to think. Naruto put questions in his head and he wanted them answered. The three genin lined up in front of their sensei. He smiled at them. "You can train, I actually think we can start with a little chakra excercice. The three climbing." Kakashi said. Sakura looked at him strangely. "Kakashi-sensei, we already know how to climb trees." She said. Naruto laughed silently, Kakashi smiling with his visible eye.

"You're not going to use your hands, Sakura. Like this." Kakashi said as he walked up the tree, and stood upside down from a branch. Sakura looked shocked while Sasuke smirked, ready for the challenge. Kakashi threw three kunai in front of them. "Use those to mark your progress, also, you should try with a running start." Kakashi said.

Naruto walked over to the tree, simply walking up the trunk like it was the ground. He continued all the way to the top before he balanced himself there. "Sensei!" He shouted. "I'm done!" He said. Kakashi's eye widened as he saw his student on the top of the tree. "That's good Naruto, come with me, I'll take you to the next excercise." Kakashi said. Naruto jumped down, landing with a thump. "I'll see you at the next exercise, Sakura." He said as he winked to her. Sakura looked at him puzzled, but looked at the tree with determination. Sasuke gritted his teeth as he ran up, but the bark exploded underneath him. Sakura simply slipped the first times. 

Naruto followed Kakashi to a nearby lake, the blonde shaking his head. "Water walking?" Naruto asked. Kakashi nodded. Naruto walked to the middle of the lake, grinning as he saw Kakashi's slight shock. "Sensei, I'm way stronger than many of my age. The only one I would probably loose to was Lee if he used his full power, or Shikamaru because of his witty traps." Naruto said. "Lee? As in Gai's student?" Kakashi asked. Naruto nodded in affirmative. 

"Kakashi-sensei, I know that trust is the true essence of a good team, but I cannot come true to Sasuke and Sakura. It will ruin everything, they won't look at me as me, probably. You, you won't either, so I really don't want to tell you the secrets I hold. It's better this way." Naruto said. Kakashi shook his head. "Naruto, whatever it is, I'm sure I can handle it. I won't think of you any different." Kakashi said. Naruto looked up at him. "But I know you will sensei, because I'm not the same that I was three days ago." Naruto said. "The third knows, and while he was more accepting than I thought, he knows I'm not Naruto who just graduated. He knows the difference between who I was and who I am, and that child you watched over as an Anbu is long gone." Naruto said.

Kakashi stared at him. "Naruto, what happened? Did someone hurt you?" Kakashi asked. "They could try, but I'm stronger than them. Perhaps, perhaps one day I will tell you, but not today. I want you just to know that I'm a kage level ninja, I can easily defeat any chuunin and most jonin, with exception of perhaps you and Gai if you both went at full power." Naruto explained. Kakashi couldn't probably become any more shocked.

"I'm sorry sensei, but as you said, you have to trust the Third's judgment." Naruto smiled. Kakashi nodded, he smiled with his lonely eye. "I guess so, perhaps one day I will understand what you are talking about." He said. Naruto looked at the sky. Perhaps, what if someone else came back?


	6. Chapter 6

A/N

HELLO! I'm sorry for the late update! School's been on my case, a lot. Especially my parents.

This takes place the same day as the last chapter  
\---------------

Naruto and Kakashi headed back to Sakura and Sasuke to see their progress. Sakura was standing on a branch further up the tree, while Sasuke's was marked with several blast offs and kunai marks.

Naruto chuckled, he knew that while Sasuke was a better ninja than Sakura in general, he had much chakra and so little control. He was used to be able to blast anything in his opponents way, but the only thing he did now was blast himself off a tree.

"Sensei, why don't we split up? You can take Sakura to the river and teach her water walking while I help Sasuke control that chakra of his. " Naruto said. Kakashi nodded.

"Sure, but no bickering." Kakashi said. Naruto grinned at him. "I'm just going to help him out, if he allows me to." Naruto said. Sasuke's visioned darkened as he glared at Naruto.

"I do not need your help, dobe." Sasuke said. Naruto looked at him strangely. Why was he so insistent on calling him that? He hadn't exactly failed completely at the exam.

"Sasuke, how many times-"

"I know your stupid backstory, you don't have to remind me. It's almost like you're bragging about how your family died!" Sasuke shouted at him.

Kakashi gave Naruto a look, clearly seeing the problem leaving the two of them alone. Sakura was staring worridly at the two of them.

"You think I'm happy?" The atmosphere dropped several degrees, Kakashi being the only one to notice the killer intent leaking of Naruto.

"You think you know my story?" Naruto asked. He stared at Sasuke, his eyes darkened, almost like his eyes had turned into stone. Naruto shook his head.

"Kakashi, I'll take Sakura. You can teach that boy how to treat comrades and see when he should back down. Perhaps even give him over to the I&T Unit, see if he is mentally stable enough to be a ninja." Naruto said as he headed over to Sakura, the mood suddenly lifting again.

"Let's go, Sakura." Naruto smiled at her as he headed towards the river. Sakura nodded dumbly at him before following him, leaving Sasuke and Kakashi in the clearing.

When Naruto and Sakura reached the river, Naruto immediatly noticed Sakura's weird expression. Naruto chuckled.

"Sakura, what I'm going to show you is some more advanced training tips, while also helping you getting started." Naruto said. Sakura looked at him strangely.

"What exactly?" She asked. Naruto jumped onto the river, standing there silently as Sakura's eyes widened.

"You're going to be able to do this." Naruto said. Sakura stared. "How am I supposed to do that?" She asked once again. Naruto smiled.

"The tree exercise is about keeping a stable layer of chakra under your feet to stick, but a river is constantly moving. How would you solve it?" Naruto asked. Sakura looked at the river calculating, in addition to staring at Naruto's feet every now and then.

"You need to reapply and adapt the chakra output to the sole of your foot right?" Sakura asked. Naruto smiled happily.

"Exactly, now you don't have the largest chakra pool, but I got some soldier pills if your reserves are getting dangerously low. So go ahead and try." Naruto said.

Sakura took a hesitant look at the river, before moving forwards. She took one foot ahead of her, channeling the chakra as she predicted would be enough.

Sure enough, her foot stepped onto the water like it was solid ground. She smiled up at Naruto as she took another step, just a little less careful this time. She managed to walk a few more before her chakra weakened ever so slightly, making her slip through the water surface.

"That was great! You really are amazing!" Naruto said as he helped her up from the water. Sakura smiled at him.

"Thank you, Naruto." She said. Naruto grinned. The two walked over to the shore again, Naruto discared his jacket at the ground.

"Now, I told you I would help you with some more advanced training tips. One of them is to continue doing to Tree climbing and Water walking exercise, to build up your reserves. The second is your control. What would you think about being a medic?" Naruto asked.

Sakura looked at him strangely. "Like a doctor? What does that have to do with my control?" She asked. Naruto smiled at her once again.

"You have such great control over your chakra, that you could to both the tree climbing and the water walking on your first try, while you haven't built up your reserves to efficiently use it in battle, it sure is good. A medical ninja, needs extremely good control to manage it during the heat of battle. I think you would excel at it, perhaps even at the level of Tsunade Senju." Naruto said, his eyes gaining a little glint.

Sakura looked like she was giving it a serious thought. "There isn't many programs like that though. Tsunade was the best medic in Konoha, there really isn't anyone adapt enough to fullfill an entire medical program. I know she tried to get it to work during the war, but the Hokage shot it down, because of the need of every single ninja." Sakura said.

Naruto's eyes widened. "A medical program? She wanted it? Oh, Sakura this is great!" Naruto exclaimed. He blushed slightly at his outburst before returning to his more calm manner.

"Oh, okay. Anyway, the next thing I want to show you is this." Naruto took up a piece paper. Sakura looked at him, waiting for him to explain.

"This is a chakra conductive paper, it helps to check your elemental affinity. If it splits in half, it's wind. If it gets wet, it's water. If it turns to dust it's earth, if it crumples it's lightning and if it catches on fire, it's well, fire." Naruto said. He grabbed another piece from it's pocket, handing it to Sakura.

He channeled his chakra to the piece in it's hand and it split in half. "I got a wind affinity, which is quite rare in Konoha. The only one with this as the first affinity is Sarutobi Asuma, the Third's son." Naruto said.

"Now, having an affinity doesn't mean you can't learn the other elements. Most jonin can at least use jutsu from two different ones. Kakashi-sensei can even use all of them, including the Hokage." Naruto explained.

Sakura nodded in understanding. She channeled chakra to the paper and it turned to dust almost immediatly. Naruto grinned.

"Now for the complete final task." Naruto said. He headed towards a tree.

He slammed his fist into the bark, several cracks appeared by the sheer strength of the punch. "That is what I can do without any help, but if I channel chakra to my fist-" Naruto said as he drew his fist back again, channeling chakra to it before slamming it into the tree.

The entire tree was ripped out of the ground and crashed into several others. There was bits of bark everywhere.

Sakura stared at him with wide eyes. "Tsunade is known for being a renowed medic, but she is also known for her super human strength. While my punches are strong with chakra enchancement, she could obliberate buildings with the amount I used now." Naruto said.

"And you want me to do this?" She asked. Naruto laughed.

"Not at once, I want you to continue doing the tree climbing and water walking until you can do it without a second thought, afterwards I want you to ask Kakashi-sensei for some help with earth typed jutsu, because I don't really know any. Once you're adapt at all of these, I will try to help you the best I can with the chakra enchancement. Also, don't worry about the medic thing, it will happen in one way or another." Naruto said.

Sakura nodded. Her eyes filled with determination. "I'll do it. I can do it." She said. She looked at Naruto in an entirely new light. "Thank you, Naruto. I don't know what to say." Naruto shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, I want to help. You're my teammate after all. I wanted to help Sasuke like this too, but he doesn't want it." Naruto said. He grinned.

"But if you can master some of these stuff in a month, It would be great." Naruto said as he gave her a thumbs up. Sakura sweatdropped. "I think I'll go a little easy." She said.

Naruto nodded. "Now, go practise! We will continue this until Kakashi-sensei calls us over." Naruto said. Sakura nodded. She picked a tree and started to climb.

Naruto followed her, but stopped halfway up the tree, starting to do some pushups and the like. Sakura stared at him, but the lack of focus made her slip and fall down to the ground.

"Sakura, you have to concentrate." Naruto said. Sakura nodded dumbly, before continuing.  
\--

Kakashi headed to the river where Sakura and Naruto had gone. Sasuke trailing behind him. The two found Sakura, panting and clearly having sweat through her shirt, running up a tree before stopping halfway, waiting a couple of seconds before heading onto a branch, walking upside down.

Naruto was on the river doing some situps before he noticed Kakashi and Sasuke. "Yo! Kakashi-sensei." Naruto shouted. Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Weren't you supposed to show Sakura water walking?" He asked. Naruto jumped over to the teacher and student. "I did, but she did it so quickly I helped her on a training routine instead. She'll continue doing the tree excercise until she can do it without thinking. It's mostly to build up her reserves, but hell she caught on quick. She's been going at it for a few hours now. I can already sense that her reserves has grown." Naruto said proudly.

Sasuke looked at Naruto with dark eyes. "What is it, Sasuke?" Naruto asked. "How come you are on another excercise than me? Why can she do it?" Sasuke growled out.

"I've known the tree climbing and water walking for years, Sakura just has so good control that this chakra control excercise is easy. You are still on tree walking because you can't do it properly. How did it go, sensei? Naruto asked, turning his attention to Kakashi.

"While Sasuke do have an adapt fighting style, his control isn't that good. He made it up to the top of the tree, but only once. He's still slipping or blowing himself off." Kakashi sighed.

Naruto shrugged. "I figured, I too did that." He said. "Sasuke, how about you-"

"Don't talk like you're my superior!" Sasuke shouted. The area became silent.

"Sasuke, I'm not trying to do that, I just want to help." Naruto said calmly. Sasuke gritted his teeth. "I don't want your help! I'm strong! I'm an Uchiha elite!" Sasuke said.

"Would your father say that?" Naruto asked. Kakashi's eyes widened, trying to reach for Naruto before Sasuke flew at him, but alas, it was too late.

Sasuke tried to punch Naruto in the face, but as his fist connected, Naruto didn't move. His face was hard as stone. He didn't even blink.

"Does that feel better Sasuke? Do you feel satisfied? Have you accomplished something?" Naruto asked. Sasuke, taken aback by the lack of reaction, was forced onto the ground, Naruto holding a kunai to his throat.

"You don't know shit about your family. You knew the image of the Uchiha, but not the inside. Itachi knew and he saw that it was wrong." Naruto said. Naruto withdrew his kunai, standing up. He reached a hand to Sasuke, but the ravenhead looked to the ground.

"You knew Itachi? You know about Itachi? You think you knew the Uchiha?" Sasuke asked. "You think I don't?" Sasuke stared at him, his eyes burning with fury.

"I think that you were a eight year old boy who just had his family killed and thrown into a genjutsu." Naruto said. "I don't think you actually tried to understand." He continued.

"It was to test his powers! Itachi said so!" Sasuke asked. "So you trust the man who killed your family?" Naruto asked. "Of course not!" Sasuke shouted. "Then why do you believe what he says?" Naruto said.

Sasuke seemed at loss of words. "Shit on this, the moment I believe you can handle the truth, the moment I trust you, I'll tell you. If I don't and you try to kill Itachi, I will stop you." Naruto said. "And if you betray Konoha, I might even kill you if it gets out of hand." He said.

He looked at Kakashi. "Sensei, Sakura is beat." They turned to the sleeping pinkette by the tree she had ran on. "Take her home?" Naruto asked. Kakashi nodded.

"Well then, I guess that's it for today. See you guys tomorrow." Kakashi said. Naruto smiled as he body flickered back to his apartment.  
\--------

That's it. Please tell me your thought about who will come back, and if so please tell me when you think it should happen. While I do have a vague idea, currently standing on the several time travellers thing, I really want to know it it's a good idea or not.

R&R

I luv u guys.

Btw, this is a short chapter, But I will try to make the next one a little longer.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N  
Hello guys! I know I haven't updated so much lately, but I've got some really good tips and stuff from my readers, I love you guys!  
\-------------  
Naruto woke up from his nap. It's been a week since he came back from the future and he could already see progress. Sakura had really blossomed under their new training routine and while Sasuke really wasn't talking to Naruto, he had at least stopped jumping at him for another fight.

Kakashi had been careful around Naruto. While he knew something was going on and that it was under control, he still kept a watchfull eye over the blond. Naruto hadn't really payed attention to it, but he could feel Kakashi staring at him when they trained.  
He found his clothes scattered onto the floor, the training routine was taking a toll on his body too, the physical parts of his body hadn't really come travelling back with him. Shame, really.   
Kurama also had yet to speak with him. The giant fox was sealed shut behind the bars of his stomach, leaving Naruto to his thoughts for a long while. He hadn't really spoken to the third lately, but he guess that it was changing now. It wasn't long until Tazuna was supposed to show up for his false C-rank mission.

Naruto smiled. Zabuza and Haku would be a sight to see, but this time they were not going to die. Naruto would make sure of that. 

He headed out of his apartment. He had resently gotten a new pack of tri pronged kunai from the blacksmith, allowing Naruto to use them a little more freely than before. The only problem was getting the flying thundergod technique under control. Naruto could 'flash' if you counted when he used his tailed beast mode, but it was a large difference between that and the flying thundergod, mainly being the chakra cost.

The flying thundergod didn't require the same amount of chakra like the flashes Naruto used. While both did cost some good portions of it, the difference was still there. Naruto had to use pure chakra to create a road to where he was going. Look at it like a river. Naruto had to create an entire river from one point to another to flash, while the flyingthundergod just required a here and a there. 

Therefore, Naruto had gotten several clones to read and understand the flyingthundergod at a higher level and there was lots of progress there. He could almost make seals while blindfolded, not that it was recommended.  
He went to the bridge where he was going to meet with his team. They were doing a couple of D-ranks in the morning, training during the afternoon and then another few D-ranks later during the day. 

It gave the genin some money to work with and buy new training gear, mainly some special weights Kakashi had ordered. Instead of just weightening down the arms and legs, these weights put enough force on the entire body that they wouldn't destroy their muscles, but just gain strength. It also automatically adapted so that they wouldn't even notice how much stronger they got.

Sasuke had finally managed to do some more advanced excercises on the water surface, but really, he spent a good day trying to learn it and another one to keep it going enough to even try sparring on water.  
Naruto had offered Sasuke to train with him, like give him some tips, but Sasuke had refused. He wanted to prove that he didn't need any help from the 'dobe'. Naruto chuckled. After the chuunin exam, he would be announced properly as Minato and Kushina's heir, meaning the birth of the Uzumaki Namikaze family, this time for real.

Minato and Kushina's wedding and birth had been a complete secret, only the most trusted jonin in the village knew about it, including some special ANBU. While people figured that Kushina and Minato had an affair, they did not know about Naruto.  
It would be a nasty surprise for the villagers at least. 

Naruto arrived at the beach. He didn't really have to go through his morning routine that often anymore, since Kakashi really wanted Naruto to learn something from him, so they had plenty of time to wear him out during the afternoon. Still, when they had days off, Naruto would still hurry up to training ground 7.

"Good morning, Naruto." Sakura said as she spotted him. "Morning Sakura, how are the weights treating you?" Sakura grinned. "I'm already at level seven, we've had them for just three days. I think that's progress." She said proudly. Naruto grinned. "What about you, Sasuke?" Naruto asked. 

"Hn." Sasuke said as he showed his forearm, the number nine showing clearly at his wrist. "I figured..." Sakura muttered. Naruto looked at her. "Sakura, Sasuke has trained longer than you have, it's a given that the weights resist him a little more. I've trained even longer than you, so my weights have gone up like crazy." Naruto said and showed his wrist, a tattoo like twenty-five was etched on the weight.

"What?" Sasuke said. "How did you do that?" He asked. Naruto shrugged. "I just told you, I've trained for so long so the weights just adapt faster." Naruto explained.  
"Now now, no fighting." Kakashi said as he suddenly appeared on the railing. "I wasn't." Naruto said as he leaned against the other side of the bridge.  
"I see you all have progressed well, let's go for our daily missions." Kakashi said as he led the team to the hokage tower. Naruto looked around the village. He knew that the chuunin exam was coming up in a few weeks, many of these buildings would be destroyed if everything went as last time.

Naruto's best option was to try and defeat Orochimaru in the Forest of death, avoiding Sasuke getting that curse mark. He knew fighting a sannin head on was a risk, especially when he hadn't Kurama's chakra at his disposal. In addition, Sasuke and Sakura would be there and they might see his true powers, which was a little dangerous.

The team headed up to the mission desk, the third immediatly taking note of Naruto's presence. "Hello, Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. Ready for a mission?" He asked. Looking directly at Naruto. "What D-ranks do you have available?" Kakashi asked.  
The third gave Kakashi the list, but held a C-rank scroll tightly. Naruto's eyes widened, taking a quick look at the Third who nodded. 

"Sensei!" Naruto exclaimed. "What about a C-rank, I'm so tired of these D-ranks, we need more challenge!" He said, louder than usual. Kakashi's eyes went a little wide from Naruto's sudden outburst.  
He looked at Sasuke and Sakura. "What do you two think?" He asked. Sakura looked at the roof for a second. "I think it's a good idea, we get to go out of the village, perhaps even fight some stupid thieves, right?" She asked. Kakashi looked at Sasuke. "These D-ranks are a waste of my time, if a C-rank can bring me closer to my goal, I'll do it."

Kakashi smiled. "Then it's decided, what C-ranks do you have for us, Hokage-sama?" He asked. The Hiruzen took up a C-rank. "This came in last night, a bridgebuilder from Wave has asked for escort back to his country." He said.  
"We'll take that one then." Kakashi said. Naruto grinned. "Bring him in." Hiruzen said to a chuunin. A door was opened and the smell of alcohol filled the room. "This is Tazuna." Hiruzen said.  
"What? This brats are supposed to protect me? That little one looks like he still need diapers." Tazuna said loudly. Naruto's eyebrows furrowed.

"Now, now. These three are efficient genins, they'll handle som thugs by the road if that is what you mean about protection. If things get out of hand, I'm a jonin and will be able to handle it." Kakashi said. Tazuna snorted. "Fine." He said.  
"Meet at the gate in two hours, pack up a week of supplies." Kakashi said. The three genin nodded and went out the door, after bowing to the Hokage, that is.

Naruto hurried to his apartment. Finding his kunais, shurikens, explosion tags, paralysis tags, poison darts, senbons, ink, brushes and several empty scrolls. He sealed them all into a small scroll before heading to the kitchen. Finding an on the road kettle, instant ramen, nutrient bars and some other different snacks and healthy food, he sealed them into another small scroll. He then grabbed several clothings, health equipment, a sleeping bag and a tent which he also sealed into a scroll.  
He sealed these three scrolls into a larger scroll which he strapped to his lower back sideways. He then grabbed a travelling cloak he had bought the other day and pulled it over him, you never knew if it started to rain or the alike after all.

He hurried off towards the Hyuuga compound. He had trained with Hinata every weekend, the first mainly being chakra control excercises and some easy sparring. He and Hinata really conversed better now that Naruto wasn't an oblivious idiot, but he still felt a little wrong for being with her. This wasn't exactly his wife. He didn't know if she would ever be, that was a little scary.

A Hyuuga at the gate to the compound just sighed. "She's with her team right now." He said to Naruto. Naruto stopped. "Oh, can you give her a message from me?" Naruto asked. The Hyuuga shook his head. "Find Ko, he's Hinata's caretaker." He said.   
Naruto nodded. "Where can I find him?" He asked. The guard pointed towards a little house next to the Clan head's house. "He lives there." The Hyuuga said. Naruto smiled. "Thank you." He said as he hurried into the compound.  
He went over to the small house and knocked carefully. A short haired Hyuuga opened the door. "Uzumaki-san?" The person asked. "Ko?" Naruto asked and the man nodded. "I want to leave a message for Hinata." Naruto continued. Ko nodded and found some paper and a pen. "What is it?" Ko asked, ready to write.

"I'm going to leave for a C-rank, and probably won't be back before a week's time. So I won't be able to train with you this weekend, Naruto." Naruto said as Ko wrote it down. The Hyuuga smiled.  
"There, I'll be sure to give it to Hinata-sama the moment she returns, have a nice trip, Uzumaki-san." Ko said. "Please, call me Naruto." Naruto said as he scratched the back of his head. "The honorifics is making me feel weird." He said. Ko nodded. "Okay then, Naruto."  
Naruto and Ko said goodbye and Naruto headed towards the gate before he saw a hawk above him. That was a summoning from the third, and by the way the hawk was circling ment that it was private.  
Naruto used the body flicker to the Hokage tower, heading up to the third's office without giving a second glance to the receptionist. He knocked.

"Come in." The third's voice sounded through the door. Naruto opened the door slowly. "You called, Hokage-sama." Naruto said. Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "What happened to 'jiji'." He asked with a smile.   
Naruto looked to the side. "Hmm, I guess I can call you that instead." He joked. He then looked at the hokage. "What was it you summoned me for?" Naruto asked.

"I know you asked for this mission specifically, which means that you have some plans and that it was a key event from your future, do you mind telling me what I should be prepared for?" Hiruzen asked.  
"First of all, if things go exactly as I want it, You'll have two more ninja, an alliance and preferably me getting a bridge named after me." Naruto said. Hiruzen raised an eyebrow.  
"I see, well then. Do you belive backup is necesarry?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto laughed. "No way, I'm way more than enough for this. The only thing I'm a little worried about is Sakura and Sasuke, but I've got my clones to help them out if needed." Naruto said.  
"Good. I'll leave it to you then. I've gotten a reply back from Jiraiya." Hiruzen said. Naruto froze momentarily. He stared at the Hokage.

"He's on his way back, but he won't be here for another two or three weeks, I expect him to be here during-" "The chuunin exam." Naruto interrupted. His vision steeled itself. "That's too late, Hokage-sama." Naruto said.   
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Why? Naruto I can't prepare something if I don't know what I'm preparing for." Hiruzen sighed. Naruto looked down. "I know, I'll tell you both the details when I come back, if Jiraiya doesn't make it here in a week, then I fear I might have bigger problems than I initally thought." Naruto said.

Hiruzen nodded. "I'll send him words, best case scenario, he does the reverse summoning." Hiruzen said. Naruto nodded. "Well then, I'd rather keep Sakura company, knowing her, she's early for her mission." Naruto said as he bowed.  
"You're dismissed." Hiruzen said as Naruto used the body flicker again out of the room.

While Naruto did know Sakura had arrived early, it still took a good three hours before Kakashi and Tazuna arrived, Tazuna carrying a new bottle of sake. Sasuke looked especially annoyed by that fact.  
"You shouldn't drink when travelling, Tazuna-san." Naruto said. Tazuna eyed him. "Oh really? Well, brat, I do whatever I want." Tazuna growled out before taking a large drink from his bottle.  
"Well then, let's head out." Kakashi said. Kakashi walked ahead and Tazuna trailed behind him. Unnoticed by him, the genin had made a formation. Sasuke and Sakura walked at each side of him, while Naruto took up the rear.  
"Good job guys, I'm glad you did that so calmly." Kakashi said. "We already had agreed on this kind of positioning though, Kakashi-sensei." Sakura said. "Even though Sasuke got annoyed that I took the rear position." Naruto said cheekily.  
Sasuke glared at the blonde. "Now, it's good that you did it, but please don't try to make each othe angry, Naruto, Sasuke." Kakashi said.

Naruto just smiled and Sasuke looked away. Tazuna looked at the formation carefully. "I see, but wouldn't you put the strongest of the brats in the rear, that blonde looks like he can hardly harm a bunny." Tazuna said.  
"Naruto is easily the strongest of his age group." Kakashi said, a little proud that he had brought Naruto to even higher levels. "He had already trained for seven years when he graduated." Sakura added. Naruto blushed.   
"Geez, guys, you shouldn't do that. I know I started earlier, but Sakura is really strong for only having trained seriously for a week. She's good and Sasuke, while I hate to admit it, knows what he's doing. Though he is a little arrogant, which is hindering his growth." Naruto said.

Sasuke glared at him again. "What the hell do you mean 'you're the strongest'?" Sasuke asked. Naruto looked at him. "Sasuke, please. We're on a mission. No fighting." Naruto said. The raven head growled. "I can beat you, just like I can beat that man." Sasuke said.   
Naruto sighed. "Sensei, did you really check him at the IT?" Naruto asked. Kakashi shook his head. "I don't think that will be necesarry, Naruto." He said.  
Naruto groaned. "I hope so, I thought that our little episode a few days ago would make him try and be a little nicer, he doesn't even know how far he can reach if he just try and listen to us." Naruto said.  
Sasuke looked away, this time ignoring the entire conversation.  
They walked for a couple of hours before a puddle appeared in the middle of the road. Naruto knew what it ment at once, but he could see Kakashi eyeing it carefully. Naruto looked at Sakura, she had been terrified when Kakashi 'died'. It made her completely frozen. 

Naruto hurried to her. "Sakura." He whispered into her ear. "Just trust me, Kakashi will be alright." Naruto said as he jumped back to his position. Sakura looked at him, a little puzzled, but not so soon afterwards two shades whipped past them.   
Kakashi was suddenly wrapped in chains and ripped to shred. "The first one." The two men said at the same time. Sakura let out a scream, Sasuke stared at Kakashi's remains with startled eyes, Tazuna fell backwards. The two men who had ripped Kakashi to shreds appeared behind Naruto, but Naruto knew that it was coming. He forced chakra to his fist and smashed it into one of the mens' face and kicked the other in the stomach. Hard.

Both of them flew in opposite sides of the road, one of them's head sitting in a very weird angle. The chain that connected them through the gauntlets at snapped by the force they were forced apart from.  
Naruto headed over to the unconcious form of the man he had kicked, he tied him to a tree. "Kakashi-sensei, you can come out now." Naruto said.

Kakashi appeared in the middle of the road. Sakura gave out a relieved sigh. Sasuke was staring at the dead body of the man Naruto had punched.  
"While I'm glad you handled the situation Naruto, we don't know who they were after." Kakashi said. Naruto shrugged. "That's why I left this one alive." He said and looked at the unconcious man.  
"H-he's dead?" Sakura asked as she stared on the other man. Naruto looked at her sadly. "Yeah, I'm sorry, Sakura. I didn't think of how you would feel about it." Naruto said. Sakura just stared at him with wide eyes.  
"Sakura, Sasuke. Killing is a requirement in our line of work. It's either kill or be killed when it comes to ninja. The thing that differ between a murderer and a ninja, is that we aren't supposed to kill unesecarrily. We do not harm for an example civilians." Kakashi said. 

"What differs a good person and a horrible person, is if they enjoy killing or not." Naruto said. "I would never enjoy taking a person's life, but leaving a missing nin from Mizu out here wouldn't be good." Naruto said.  
"Mizu?" Sakura asked. Naruto nodded. "These were the demon brothers of the mist, chuunin level missing nin." Naruto explained. The man tied to the tree opened his eyes. "Look sensei, now you can ask all you want." Naruto smiled.  
Kakashi headed over to the prisoner. "Who were you after?" Kakashi asked. The man stared at the dead body of his partner. "Like I would ever answer to you, leaf scum." He replied. Naruto shrugged.   
"He was after Tazuna. If they were after you, sensei, they would have left after they killed you. They didn't take with them your 'head' so they aren't bounty hunters. He clearly targeted us genins after 'killing' you. Why would genin's be any thing to worry about? Witnesses or that they were between them and their target." Naruto said

"That doesn't explain why they were after Tazuna." Sasuke said, looking as arrogant as he could. "The reason why I believe that, is Tazuna himself." The ninja turned to their client, who was sweating and glancing away.  
"Is there something you would like to tell us?" Naruto asked. Tazuna stared at him. "I don't know-" "That's bullshit." Naruto said.  
"Do you think our Hokage is a mindless fool? He knows something was off with this mission. That's why we're here. Kakashi-sensei is easily one of the best ninja in our village and I know exactly what I'm doing. I also happen to know about the situation in wave." Naruto said.

"Situation?" Kakashi asked, now more intruiged by Naruto.  
"Gato, right? The richest man in the southern parts of the elemental nations that isn't a daimyo or another important dude. He gains his money from sabotaging other trading companies around Mizu, especially wave which has a good tactical placement." Naruto said.  
"How do you know?" Tazuna asked. Naruto grinned. "Because I'm just that awesome." He said. Tazuna sighed. "You're right. We don't have any money because of Gato, but to end his tyranni I need to build my bridge. I came to Konoha for protection because Gato's men is after me." Tazuna explained.  
"Tazuna, if you had told the hokage this, he would surely give you some sort of loan. You could've paid us back when you got more money. You have now put three new genin in potential danger, if Gato sends higher ranking ninja after you..."  
"Sensei, don't worry. We're prepared for this." Naruto said. Kakashi looked at Sakura and Sasuke. Sasuke nodded, but Sakura was a little hesistant.  
"We've already come this far right? Let's just go for it." Naruto said. Kakashi nodded. "Fine then, if it's okay for you two?" Kakashi asked. Sakura nodded this time.  
"Then it's decided! We'll help you, Tazuna!" Naruto chirped. Tazuna smiled weakly. "Thank you." He said.

\----

The group had finally reached wave after travelling with a boat from the border of the Land of fire over to the small islands that was Wave. Tazuna had talked about the situation on how Gato suddenly had appeared and taken over all shipping and travelling between Wave, Mizu and Hi no kuni.

They started on the last stretch before they arrived at Tazuna's house, where they would be staying during their time in wave.   
On the road, Naruto was unusally jumpy, according to Kakashi that is. While Kakashi knew there was a chance that there would be other ninja, Naruto knew exactly who. While Naruto was confident in his abilities, he didn't want to be caught off guard.  
He created a shadow clone. "Go meditate." He told it. "Yes, boss!" The clone said before he hurried into the forest.  
"What was that for, Naruto?" Kakashi asked. Naruto smiled. "Meditating helps chakra control, I guess I could use some practise to reel in this massive reserves." Naruto said. Kakashi looked at him. "Because of the belly monster?" He asked. Naruto chuckled. "Not really, nice name by the way, I'll remember that."

Naruto's clone dispelled, giving him the perks of sage mode. He quickly sensed Zabuza a little up ahead, Haku wasn't far behind if he guessed the chakra signature right.  
They got closer and closer before Sasuke threw a kunai towards the place Zabuza had stood, but the ninja from Mist had easily used a replacement. A small white rabbit was behind the bushes where Sasuke's kunai had landed.  
"Don't scare us like that you brat!" Tazuna scolded. Sasuke stared at his enviroment. "Everyone, duck!" Kakashi shouted as he threw himself at Tazuna. A large sword cleaved through the air and edged itself into a tree with a loud 'thump'.  
Zabuza body flicker onto the sword, showing off like all other ninja Naruto knew.

"The Demon of the Mist, Momochi Zabuza." Kakashi said. "Hoo, so you know my name? Kakashi of the Sharingan." Zabuza said. Sasuke stared at Kakashi with wide eyes. The teacher pulled up his headband, showing the red spinning eye.  
"Oh? So I get that honor?" Zabuza asked. "Why do you have it? You're no Uchiha!" Sasuke shouted. Naruto groaned. "Sasuke, this really isn't the time." Naruto said. Before Naruto even had finished the sentence, Kakashi and Zabuza and engaged in combat.   
They both fluently pulled off combos, dodges, counters and small jutsu into their battle, it was almost like watching art. 

Zabuza got a lucky punch in and sent Kakashi flying towards the water. Zabuza smirked. "Water Prison Jutsu!" He said. Kakashi was enveloped in a bubble of water, with Zabuza holding one hand onto the sphere.   
Zabuza created a water clone. "Now to deal with the bridgebuilder." He said. The clone headed towards the genin. "Everyone! Run! This isn't some kind of enemy you can handle!" Kakashi shouted.   
"No way, sensei!" Naruto said. He sped towards the clone, punching towards the clone's face. The clone dodged, but he didn't notice Naruto's toad like eyes. A force of chakra slammed into the clone, dispelling it into a puddle of water.   
Naruto used his momentum of surprise to whip out a paralysis seal and sped towards the real Zabuza. He slammed the tag onto the body, as Zabuza refused to let go of Kakashi, also with the fact that he didn't have the time. Naruto used his speed and power to drag Zabuza with him so far that they were out of sight.

"Zabuza." Naruto said. Zabuza looked at him with angry eyes. "What?" He growled out. "Whatever Gato is paying you, I can pay higher. I also wish to offer you a safehouse for you and Haku." Naruto said. Zabuza's eyes widened. "How do you know about Haku?" He asked. 

Naruto smiled. "Hokage-sama isn't stupid. Now, join the leaf. You'll be given work and a safespot for you and your apprentice. Konoha loves bloodlines, Haku won't be hurt. I know the shit about you and wanting to kill people, but trust me. You will be able to kill people while a ninja of the leaf, but you won't be hunted for it. Unless you do it too much, we don't deal well with murder." Naruto said.

Zabuza stared at him with wide eyes. "You're mad to think you can control me." Naruto grinned. "I know, but what's more important. You being hunted for trying to save the Mizukage, who was controlled or being able to help the Mizu from behind the scenes in Konoha and have a safe spot for you and Haku, a safe income. Somewhere Haku doesn't feel like an object?" Zabuza's eyes widened.  
"Haku is my tool-" "Oh, shut up." Naruto interrupted. "We both know what you feel about him." Naruto said. "He's your adoptive son or something right? You just don't want to admit it!" Naruto said persistently.

"I-" 

"Zabuza-sama!" A voice interrupted. Haku, the very feminine male appeared. He took out three senbon, preparing to throw them at Naruto. Naruto slammed a tag on the floor, and a bubble appeared around the tree.  
"This is a barrier, Kakashi-sensei won't be able to find us. Zabuza, you join the leaf or I kill you both right here, right now. You're paralyzised and Haku is no match for me. Your choice." Naruto said. He was loosing patience and Kakashi was surely right around the corner.

"Fine." Zabuza said. He had a small smile under the bandages. "I guess a brat who could beat me is worth listening to, at least a little. What's your name, brat?" Naruto grinned. "Naruto Uzumaki!" Zabuza's eyes widened.  
"Uzumaki? I thought that clan was wiped out, where the hell is your sword?" Zabuza asked. Naruto looked at him, puzzled. "Sword?" Naruto asked.

"You don't have a sword? But the Uzumaki was some of the best swordsmen ever before they were wiped out! In Mizu it's so much talk, after all, Uzu was our neighbourhooding country. Sheez, you need to use a sword kid!" Zabuza said, his voice still still sounding angry, but you could hear the excitement behind it.

"I'll teach you." Zabuza decided. "When do we go to Konoha?" Zabuza asked. Naruto gave him a note he had written earlier. "Go under disguise, no henge. Deliever this note to the Hokage. Go directly to Konoha, do not meet my sensei." Naruto said. Zabuza and Haku nodded.

Naruto dispelled the seal on Zabuza, and dispelled the barrier. "Hurry." He told them. They sped off. Moments later Kakashi appeared, his eyes where wide and he was panting heavily.  
"Naruto!" he exclaimed. He immediatly got by Naruto's side. "Where is Zabuza?" Kakashi asked, looking around. "Don't worry, sensei, we got it under control." Naruto said. "We?" Kakashi asked. Naruto smiled. "Me and the Hokage. We should go back to the others." Naruto said.

Kakashi nodded and they headed back. Sakura was visibly worried, Sasuke was just staring at Naruto, his eyes dark. Tazuna was on the ground, looking like he would faint at any moment.  
"It's okay guys. Zabuza's gone." Kakashi said. Sakura and Tazuna sighed in relief. Sasuke, however, wasn't pleased. "That's it? Where is he? What happened?" Sasuke asked angrily.  
Naruto grinned. "I took care of it, Zabuza won't bother us anymore." Naruto said. Sasuke stared at him. "You." He said. Naruto nodded. Sasuke was about to say something before Kakashi suddenly fell down, his body shaking.  
Naruto's eyes widened. He knew Kakashi would faint, but this hadn't happened before. "What happened while I was gone?" He shouted to the others. "Kakashi-sensei went looking for you, he sped after you as soon as he caught his breath!" Sakura said hurridly.  
"Shit! Tazuna, your house!" Naruto said. Tazuna looked at him with determination. "Follow me!" Tazuna said.

They hurried towards Tazuna's house. They were greeted by his daughter Tsunami when they got closer, but she hurried them inside when she saw how Naruto and Sasuke was struggling on carrying their sensei, who was still shaking.  
They put Kakashi in one of the guest rooms, laying him on one of the futons. Naruto stared at his sensei in silence. He swore loudly.

"Language." Tsunami said as she placed a wet cloth on Kakashi's forehead. They had to hold it in place so he wouldn't shake it off, but it didn't seem to help much.  
Sakura was sitting beside Naruto, looking at Kakashi with worried eyes while Sasuke was keeping watch over the house, still sure that any ninja could come. 

"Tsunami-san." Naruto said. "We've travelled a long way, if you woudn't mind could you make some dinner? I have some cooking supplies, but I'm not really good at the kitchen." Naruto said. Tsunami nodded slowly. Naruto unsealed the scrool with the food he brough with him. He took out the one with several snacks in, which in reality was mainly carrots, potatoes, some frozen meat and the alike. Really, it wasn't much more to say than snacks.  
"This should be enough." Naruto said. Tsunami nodded. "Sakura-chan?" She asked softly. "Would you like to help me?" She said. Sakura nodded with a small smile. She glanced at Kakashi. "Don't worry, Sakura, I'll watch over him." Naruto said. Sakura nodded.

\---

It didn't take long before dinner was ready and Naruto was forced out of his sensei's room to eat. Tsunami, Tazuna, Sasuke, Sakura and Tsunami's son Inari was seated at the table when Naruto entered, all portioning out a stew Tsunami had created from her own and Naruto's supplies.

"How is he?" Sakura asked. Naruto looked at his food emptily. "He's stable. He stopped shaking and it doesn't seem like there is anything physically wrong with him. It's not even chakra exhaustion. Well, it could be partly, but he would be awake by now then. Right now, the shaking and his current coma is way out of my knowledge." Naruto said. 

Sakura looked at the floor. "I see. What will we do now?" She asked. Sasuke answered this time. "We continue the mission, we can't drag Kakashi back to Konoha and it's safer here. We also can't leave this country to die." Sasuke said.  
Naruto smiled. "That's a good reply, Sasuke." He said. Sasuke scoffed. "I'm not always angry." He said. Naruto laughed. "That's good then. I guess I can give you a cool fire jutsu to work on then." Naruto said.   
Sasuke looked at him strangely. "You know fire jutsu?" he asked. Naruto nodded. "Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet. A B-rank offensive jutsu. I learned it a while back. I figured out that if someone does attack us, you should know a little bit more jutsu that the great fireball and the academy three." Sasuke nodded.

"Sakura, I brought with me some earth jutsu scrolls I borrowed from the ninja library, you can study them. I can't help you there, I have no aptitude for earth jutsu." Naruto said as he handed Sakura a scroll over the table."  
"Why do you try so hard?" Inari asked. Naruto looked at him sadly. "Because we have to protect your grandpa." He said. Inari shook his head. "This is none of your buisness! Why do you care! You're all gonna die anyway! No one can beat Gato, heroes don't exist!" Inari shouted. Naruto slammed his hand on the table.

"My father was a hero!" He said. "He sacrificed himself for the good of the village, that is a hero. A selfless sacrifice, no matter what. I'll get that Gato out of your land, but you should know that your grandpa is a hero too!" Naruto said.  
Inari looked at him angrily. "What do you know? You are just ninja pretending you can do anything! You don't know anything about us, you don't know suffering!" Inari shouted. Naruto looked at him.  
"How are you supposed to know?" Naruto asked. "W-what?" Inari said. "I said, how are you supposed to know if we don't know suffering? You see Sasuke there? He has no family, because he watched them all get killed. Sakura there? She was bullied when she was younger and been told she wasn't good enough! Kakashi-sensei? His father killed himself because he chose to save his friends rather than continuing a mission!" Naruto said.

"What, your land is suffering? People die, but you're just shitting on everything your grandpa is trying to do like this!" Naruto said. Tears welled up in Inari's eyes. "I hate you!" He shouted before running off. Naruto sighed.  
"I'm sorry, Tsunami. I didn't mean to blow up like that." Naruto said. "Also, I'm sorry, Sasuke, Sakura. I shouldn't have brought up your stories." Naruto apologized. Sakura smiled softly "It's okay. I'm over that now." She said. They looked at Sasuke, who was staring at the place Inari had been sitting.

"For some reason-" Sasuke started. "I saw myself in that kid." He said. Naruto looked at him strangely. "What? Sasuke you're not like that. You try to do something with your family's death and while I disapprove of it, you're not just giving everything up." Naruto said.

Sasuke looked at him. "I guess, but I thought about what you said. Do you think that Itachi might've had another reason to kill them?" He asked. Naruto nodded.  
Sasuke looked at him. "Why?" He asked. Naruto shrugged. "I guess, if Itachi managed to kill all of the Uchiha and escape the village. He wouldn't have made it unscathed. There should be tracks, but he just disappeared. Also, the Uchiha didn't look like they had fought back, especially not your parents. Even though Itachi was an excellent ninja, he wouldn't be able to sneak up on everyone just like that." Naruto said.

"How do you know this?" Sasuke asked. Naruto grinned. "I've snuck into the Hokage library when I was younger, saw stuff I wasn't supposed too, the Third made me promise not to tell anyone, but I guess you should know. Remember that this isn't the entire truth. I don't trust you enough for that." Naruto said.

Sasuke glared at him slightly. "You know something about my family, but you won't tell me." He said. Naruto nodded as he ate his food.  
"I guess, I just need to find out by myself then." Sasuke said as he continued with his stew. Sakura smiled slightly at the two, they were connecting.

"Where am I?" A voice asked loudly. Suddenly it was a small racket inside the room Kakashi was lying. "Sensei!" The three genin said out loud. Naruto was the quickest onto his feet. He held out a hand to Sasuke and Sakura. 

"Wait here, if it's an attacker, you must protect Tazuna and Tsunami. Sakura, I want you to check on Inari." Naruto said. The two nodded, knowing that this wasn't a time to argue.  
Naruto opened the door to Kakashi's room carefully, seeing his sensei looking around him carefully, a kunai in his hand.

"Sensei?" Naruto asked as he closed the door behind him. Kakashi turned to him and his eyes widened. "Naruto? This doesn't make sense! Is this a genjutsu?" Kakashi said out loud. Naruto shook his head.   
"Sensei, after Zabuza came you passed out, shaking violently. Are you okay?" Naruto asked. "This is madness! This can't be a prank either, everyone knows that Naruto died a week ago!" Naruto stopped dead in his tracks.  
"Kakashi-sensei." He said. His mood suddenly taking a turn around. He looked at him with hard eyes. "Tell me, how many Hokage has there been?" Naruto asked. Kakashi stared at him. "Seven." He said slowly.  
Tears welled up in Naruto's eyes. "I- I thought I'd be alone-" Naruto shook his head. "I'm going to explain everything, but first of all, welcome to the past." 

\---

A/N  
That's it for this chapter. How'd you like it? Please give me your opinions. I know it might be a little rushed but I don't have a good reason.   
R&R, see you next time.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N  
Hello guys! This will probably be the last update this week, I'm going to be busy this weekend.  
Tell me your opinion on Kakashi's return.  
\----------------------  
Naruto let some of the tears fall as he stared at his sensei who was obviously confused. Naruto chuckled. "You should sit down, but I need to give Sakura and Sasuke the OK." Kakashi's eyes widened. "They're here too?" He asked.  
Naruto shook his head. "Not the ones from our future, the old or... actually, they started out as the two you took on as your students. These have.. trained. The genin exam was around a week ago, that's when I came back here." Naruto explained.  
"So, you're saying that we've time travelled?" Kakashi asked. Naruto nodded. "I'll explain everything sensei, I just have to give them the all clear." Naruto said, using a little bit of his 'authority' voice. Kakashi nodded affirmitively.  
Naruto headed back out to the others, Inari had also been collected and they were looking at him with anticipation. "Kakashi's okay, there is no attack." Naruto said first. The others sighed in relief. "But I need to talk to him in private a little bit, I don't want any of you listening in." Narutto said.  
"But-" Sakura started, but Naruto looked her directly in the eye. "I'll be done soon, but this is important and is regarded an S-class secret. I will have to kill you if you listen." Naruto said. Sakura looked frozen in place. "You wouldnt, right?" She asked.  
"This is a law the Third hokage put in place, I am not allowed to question it." Naruto explained. Sakura nodded hesitantly, but Sasuke grabbed her shoulder. "We'll give you ten minutes." He said.  
Naruto nodded and looked at the family behind them. "I'm sorry for worrying you." He said as he went back inside to his sensei.  
Naruto wipped out a barrier tag and put it on the door. "There, privacy." Naruto said. "So Naruto, you're really the one I know, the seventh?" Kakashi asked. Naruto nodded. "I'll start from the beginning, starting with the day I died." Naruto said.  
Kakashi nodded, his eyes showed regret. "I'm sorry I wasn't there that day." He said. Naruto shook his head. "It was my fault, but I didn't actually die. Me and Kurama, we went back in time, or at least I did." Naruto said. "We did a jutsu, made me pass out before I woke up in my apartment." Naruto explained. Kakashi looked at him, slightly amused.  
"I was freaked out at first, but I soon got my bearings. Some stuff happened before I went to the Third and explained everything, so he is aware that I made it to Hokage, but he doesn't know any details." Naruto said.  
"Too keep him from trying to avoid something he shouldn't?" Kakashi asked. Naruto nodded. "Something like that." He grinned. "Anyway, I requested being put on your team with Sakura and Sasuke, we passed the bell test. Don't you remember anything from this timeline?" Naruto asked.  
Kakashi shook his head. "No, everything is blank right now. Even the first hours before I got here." He explained. Naruto chuckled. "I see, anyway. We did some D-ranks, but I made you train us instead. While you were onto me since I was acting really strange, I had to explain to you that the situation was under control, not that it helped." Naruto said. Kakashi smiled behind his mask.  
"Anyway, you taught Sasuke and Sakura the Tree climbing excercise, but Sakura caught on quickly. She then went with me and you stayed with Sasuke. Uhm... me and Sasuke have fought a lot and they are aware of the Uzumaki clan, but not my parents." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head.  
"So, I helped Sakura with the water walking, she really was amazing. She caught on so quickly that I introduced her to some other stuff she could train on, like elemental ninjutsu, the chakra enchancement, medical jutsu. Not that I made her do all at it at once, we worked on her chakra capacity first." Naruto said quickly. Kakashi nodded once again, showing that he understood.  
"Anyways, I had warned the third that Tazuna would arrive and made sure we would get this mission. Sasuke also caught up with the water walking after a while, they really have progresses. Just earlier I gave them both a jutsu to work on while we're here." Naruto said.  
"We're in Wave now?" Kakashi asked suddenly. "What happened with Zabuza?" He asked. Naruto grinned. "He's on his way to Konoha to become a leaf shinobi." Naruto said proudly. Kakashi's eyes widened. "What? How did you- nevermind, it's you. What are you planning?" Kakashi asked.  
Naruto smiled once again. "I'm gaining allies, for the war. Haku and Zabuza were the first, by the way, I think we should go handle Gato by ourselves." Naruto said. Kakashi nodded.  
"Uhm, Sasuke knows something is off about the massacre, I've told him bits but not the entire truth, but I am allowed to. If Sasuke goes rogue, he is my responsibility to deal with, but I'm not really sure what to do yet." Naruto explained. "He's warming up to me a little though, he got all soft at dinner after Inari's outburst." Naruto chuckled. Kakashi joined him, not seeing how his student could actually go soft.  
"So, basically. We're staying here to guard Tazuna and his family until the bridge is completed. We'll deal with Gato around this time. We'll gain an alliance with Wave due to our help and then continue to make sure Sasuke doesn't go all crazy." Naruto said quickly.  
"What about the chuunin exam?" Kakashi asked, knowing that there would be an invasion. Naruto looked down glumly. "Not sure yet, I have to deal with Gaara, but I can't let the third die. I could always deal with Gaara during the forest of death, but then there's Orochimaru... Sasuke really can't get the curse mark, that's what made him bat-shit crazy in the first place." Naruto said.  
"I see, I think we've kept the others waiting. How should I act?" Kakashi asked jokingly. Naruto shrugged. "Tired and do not seem surprised by the behavior of any of them." Naruto said. Kakashi nodded. "I'll try." He smiled. Naruto then hugged him real quick, but he let go as quickly as he came.  
"it's good to have you back sensei, I really thought I would be on my own." Naruto muttered. Kakashi ruffled Naruto's hair. "I'd never leave a comrade behind." He said. The two grinned at eachother. "Well then, Rokudaime-sama, let's meet with our team." Naruto said as he bowed dramatically.  
"After you, Nanadaime-sama." Kakashi replied as he ripped off the barrier tag. The two opened the door to find Tazuna and Tsunami cleaning up after dinner. Inari had disappeared to somewhere and Sasuke and Sakura stared at them impatiently.  
"Are you okay, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked. Kakashi smiled. "Yes, thank you Sakura, Sasuke. You did good handlin the situation." Kakashi said. Naruto grinned at the two. "Yeah, I couldn't have done it without them!" He said proudly.  
Kakashi smiled. "Anyway, Sakura, Sasuke. We're going to take shifts in guarding this house. I want the two of you to take this afternoon shift, basically just have a lookout outside in the area. Please train if you want to. Me and Naruto will do it at night." Kakashi said.  
The genin nodded and Sakura found her bag before leaving outside. Sasuke took a glance at Naruto. "Naruto." He said. He looked slightly to the side. "Would you help me with that fire jutsu?" He asked, it sounded like he wanted to demand it, but he knew that it wouldn't work with Naruto.  
Naruto grinned. "Sure." He said. The two boys headed out the door, leaving Kakashi to his thoughts. "I guess I should read something then." He said as he settled himself in a chair.  
\---  
Hours passed and night soon fell over Wave. Sasuke had passed out and Naruto had to drag him back to Tazuna's house. "Sensei! Your student." Naruto shouted as he entered the door. Kakashi came out from the guest room, taking quick glances from Sasuke to Naruto.  
"Sakura." Kakashi called. Sakura came down the stairs. "Yes, sensei?" She asked. she took a quick look at Sasuke, but decided not to comment.  
"Get Sasuke to bed, me and Naruto need to go on patrol." Kakashi said. Sakura nodded affirmatively and brought Sasuke from Naruto's shoulder over to her, she was actually strong enough to support his weight.  
Naruto nodded at Kakashi before the two left out into the night. Naruto created two clones, one of them transforming into Kakashi as they walked around the area close to the house. The originals hurried into the forest.  
"I checked for Gato's hideout while I was helping Sasuke, it's a few hours north of here." Naruto said as he jumped up into the trees. Kakashi followed suit. "I see, what's your approach?" He asked. Naruto grinned.  
"I was thinking a couple of thousand clones, raiding the entire place?" Naruto suggested. Kakashi shook his head. "That's like you. Don't want to go subtle?" Kakashi asked. Naruto grinned. "Not really, I want to let out some steam." He said. Kakashi shrugged.  
"Do as you please, I'm not exactly your superior anymore." He said. "Well, actually-" "No." Kakashi interrupted. "While you might look like a twelve year old, I've still known you more than twenty years. While I took back the hat after you 'passed', it still feels like you're the hokage." Kakashi said. Naruto looked at him.  
"Thank you, sensei." He said. Kakashi smiled. "Don't worry about it." He replied.  
The two hurried up the pace, getting them to Gato's hideout after an hour or so. They stood on some tree tops, looking over the building.  
"It's guarded. Heavily." Kakashi said, his sharingan active.  
"Not heavily enough." Naruto grinned as he crossed his fingers. A large cloud appeared that covered the most surrounding area. The sheer number of Naruto's clones painted the forest in an orange like shade.  
"Go get'em." Naruto said as the clones roared as they ran towards the hideout. In war time, Naruto would have killed them all, but this was different. There were missing nins, yes, bounty hunters, murderes and the alike. Though they didn't all deserve to die.  
It didn't take long before the camp was emptied out, leaving Gato in the plaza who was held down by two clones. The original Naruto and Kakashi appeared in front of him.  
"Gato." Naruto said. The man was shaking in fear. "Your soldiers are gone, your money taken. Your name was never clean. You have no property anymore. You have nothing." Naruto continued.  
"The only thing you could call your own is your life, but that belongs to me now." Naruto smirked. Kakashi stood still at the side.  
"You've corrupted several shipping companies, made towns starve, killed innocent people. I believe this justifies my judgement." Naruto muttered. He waved a clone over. "Deal with him." He said. He looked at Kakashi. "I don't want to be here." He muttered as he used the body flicker out of the area. Kakashi followed suit.  
\---  
The next morning arrived faster than Naruto wanted. The death of Gato trailing him for every step he took. It was justified that the man should die, he had in the previous timeline, but Naruto never felt so wrong in taking someone's life, even if it was Gato.  
Kakashi looked at him. "Naruto, you've said so yourself. Killing is necesarry at times, it doesn't mean you have to enjoy it. Gato deserved to die, you did nothing wrong." Kakashi said. Naruto looked at him.  
"I know, I killed one of the demon brothers at the way here, but it felt so different. Killing someone in battle is one thing, but executing someone. I didn't know it would feel this way." Naruto said. Kakashi nodded. He patted Naruto on the shoulder.  
"Tazuna is going to the bridge today, I would like you to go with him. Make some clones to hurry up the building process, I really don't want to stay here for an entire week." Kakashi muttered as he looked around. "Gato's money?" Kakashi asked.  
"My clones are gathering it as we speak, they're going to deliever it today." Naruto said as he looked out at the sea. Kakashi nodded. "You've done good, Hokage-sama." Kakashi joked. Naruto laughed bitterly.  
"Sensei, could I really call myself hokage now?" Naruto asked. Kakashi took a hold of his shoulder. "Naruto, you're hokage in more than words. You'll get that hat back sooner than ever, but I suggest that this time, you allow yourself to use some clones." Kakashi said. Naruto's eyes widened as he looked at him.  
"But you said-" Naruto started, but Kakashi interrupted him. "I know that I said that you shouldn't have clones sit at your desk, but after seeing how you exhausted yourself.. I should never have made you do that." Kakashi said. "All Hokage took free time, I read my porn, The Third does his calliography, Tsunade drank, Minato-sensei spent time at home. You took your job over the limits, you've got an amazing ability with those clones, you could probably solve many of Konoha's problems if you used them. I want you to do just that when you take the hat." Kakashi said.  
Naruto smiled. "I see, thank you sensei." Naruto said. "You should really stop thanking me Naruto, you're the one who saved the world." Kakashi said. Naruto blushed. "I couldn't have done it without everyone." Naruto muttered.  
Kakashi smiled. "But the Naruto I knew from when he was a genin would recklessly run ahead, even the Naruto who came back from Jiraiya's training trip was rash. While you didn't loose that during the war, you let other's help you carry that burden. No, you didn't save the world alone, but you did help save the world and played a major part in it." Kakashi said.  
"Minato-sensei and Kushina would be proud." Kakashi finished. Naruto smiled. "I know that, they've said that to me before. That they would always be proud." Naruto said. He grabbed the clothing that covered his seal.  
"I wonder, if they're still in my seal?" Naruto muttered. Kakashi looked out at the sea in front of them. "Who knows, but I guess you need the summoning contract and key for the seal from Jiraiya?" Kakashi asked. Naruto nodded.  
"The Third sent word from him, he should be there before the chuunin exam. I want him to help Jiji battle Orochimaru. If the two of them are together, I might be able to deal with Gaara without having them in the back of my mind. Now that you're here too, we can minimize the casualities." Naruto said.  
"You're right." Kakashi said. "But for now, let's get the bridge done." Kakashi said. Naruto nodded. Tazuna came out to them from behind. "I didn't want to listen in or anything, but you'll help me with the bridge?" Tazuna asked.  
"I can get you another thousand workers, if that would help?" Naruto smiled. Tazuna grinned back, giving him a heartfull laugh.  
"You have no idea."

\----  
That's it, I know it's short, but this is where I want to end this chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N  
Hello everyone! I'm back again, I know it's been a long time since I last updated. I have to thank everyone who is still carrying with me and to my new readers. Also, for those who have engaged in conversations outside reviews. For those who dislike the idea of others coming back, I would like you to voice your concerns in PM. Also, those of you who have ideas or questions, please contact me!  
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It had been three days since Naruto and Kakashi ended Gato's reign over the Wave country. Kakashi had been filled in with everything Naruto could come up with so he didn't act strange around Sasuke and Sakura. Kakashi then continued to teach his other two students in more depth as Naruto helped Tazuna with the bridge.  
Naruto still hadn't heard from Kurama. Just what in the world was he doing in that seal? In the previous timeline, Naruto had drawn on the Kyuubi's chakra during his and Sasuke's battle with Haku, but he couldn't draw out anything now.  
Naruto watched over his clones working, he helped of course, but Tazuna didn't want him to strain himself. Naruto hadn't disagreed. While he had always spammed clones here and there, keeping it up for several hours while working himself did make him slightly tired.  
He also had clones reading up on more advanced fuinjutsu, intent on keeping up his Uzumaki legacy. A shout from Tazuna shook him out of his thoughts.  
"It's done!" He exclaimed as the clones dispelled one by one. "The bridge is complete." He said as he came up to Naruto.  
Naruto grinned at him. "Finally!" He said as he jumped down from the railing he had sat on for the last minutes. "You should tell the villagers, I'll report to Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said as he ran towards Team seven's current training spot.  
"Will do!" Tazuna shouted after him. It didn't take Naruto long to arrive, Kakashi noticing his presence way before Sasuke and Sakura did.  
"Sensei, the bridge is done." Naruto said as he walked up to them. Kakashi nodded in approval. "You've done well. Sasuke, Sakura. Start gathering your things, It's still early so I want us to leave soon. If we hurry, we can get back to Konoha before nightfall." Kakashi said. Sasuke and Sakura nodded and went towards Tsunami and her family's house.   
"So, Naruto, what's the plan?" Kakashi asked. Naruto shrugged. "If Ero-sennin has come to town, I'll probably spend time with him. I'm also going to plan ahead with the Third about the invasion. I also want to fill him in on your situation." Naruto said. "I've got no idea what to do about Orochimaru and the invasion itself though. I'd like to avoid The Third's death, but it was necessary for Tsunade's return. If I could get her back with the proposal of the medical ninja corps training, then perhaps. Either way, we have to get Tsunade back."  
Kakashi nodded in agreement. "Naruto, there is something I have to tell you." He said. Naruto looked up at his teacher. "I remember what happened." Kakashi continued. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Remember?" He asked. "The travel." Kakashi said. Naruto's eyes widened, before they gained a serious look.  
"Tell me."  
\--Flashback--  
Kakashi stared at the coffin before him. There was flowers scattered around the white wood with a framed picture standing on top of it.  
He had failed his student. He saw Hinata, Boruto and Himawari standing closes to it. Boruto had a blank look across his face. Himawari had tears running down her face while Hinata held them both close.  
He couldn't understand how this happened. How in the world had Naruto, the Naruto, gotten himself killed? He looked at Boruto. The boy's face told him that something had happened. Something that was haunting him.  
Kakashi sighed as people started to leave. Many of them still weeping about their newly crowned Hokage, who had dreamed to be the leader of this village for so long, but his reign was cut short.  
Kakashi walked away from the sermony, leaving Hinata and her remaining family alone by the coffin. They needed to be there alone.   
He headed to the Hokage's office, his office, which he had taken over again after Naruto's death. They didn't want to elect another Hokage so soon, so Kakashi took temporarily control. It hadn't been more than a week since Naruto's death after all. The seremony had been put back as the entire ninja part of the village was scouting out for the attackers, but they hadn't been found.  
Konohamaru was probably going to be the successor. Naruto would have wanted that and Konohamaru was really starting to look fit for the position. He only needed more experience. Which was why he was currently being a jonin sensei for Boruto's team.   
Kakashi stared at the pile of paperwork stacked in the office. Naruto had neatly organized them all with Shikamaru's help, but he hadn't gotten far with it. He sighed. He was getting to old for this kind of work.  
Sasuke had also been an option for Hokage, but he liked his new position better. He was like a kage, but more like a kagekage, a shadow of the Hokage. Literally, the Kage was the Five great nation's shadow, The Lords being the ones to 'rule' the country, but everyone knew the Kage was really the ones in control. Sasuke however, he was like Naruto's left hand, despite the fact that Sasuke didn't have one.   
He worked in the shadows, taking care of threats and stuff, almost like Jiraiya. Kakashi smiled. Sasuke wasn't hell bent on revenge, but he had yet to hear about Naruto's passing. Kakashi sighed once more, that would be a pain.  
The Sixth sat down in his chair, looking at the wall with pictures of all the Hokages. Senju Hashirama, Senju Tobirama, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Namikaze Minato, Senju Tsunade, Hatake Kakashi, Uzumaki Naruto. All of them lined next to each other.  
Kakashi's eyes widened as a white light appeared in the centre of the room. A gruff voice sounded through the light. "Die here - Ment for -You're loosing chakra - Now!" Kakashi looked at the light analytically. He couldn't hear all the words, it was what he could gather out. The rest was mumbling.   
A sudden pain burned through his chakra network. His reserves depleting at a fast rate. "No-" Kakashi choked out as he tried to get out of his chair, well, he did, but he fell face first to the ground. He passed out.  
Kakashi woke up with a start, he was in an unfamliar room. He had a cloth across his forehead and was laying on a futon. His body felt like it was on fire, but he still felt strangely more energic.   
"Where am I?" Kakashi said loudly. He stood up quickly to try and get his surroundings better, but he stumbled and shoved a stack of different items to the floor.  
"Sensei?" A voice asked from behind him. Kakashi turned to look at familiar blond spiky hair, blue eyes and whiskered face. "Naruto? This doesn't make any sense! Is this a genjutsu?" He asked loudly.   
The Naruto he was looking at was young, he looked like the twelve year old kid he took on as a student, but Naruto was dead. The boy shook his head.  
"Sensei, after Zabuza came you passed out, shaking violently. Are you okay?" He asked. Kakashi looked at him. Zabuza? He had died twenty years ago.   
"This does not make any sense! This can't be a prank either, everyone knows Naruto died a week ago." Kakashi said. He looked as the boy froze. Kakashi got slightly startled by the change.   
"Kakashi-sensei." The Naruto lookalike said. The blond looked at him with hard eyes. The so familiar eyes. The ones his teacher had, the one shis student had. "Tell me, how many Hokage has there been?" He asked. Kakashi looked at him strangely. Was this supposed to be some bad joke?  
"Seven." He replied slowly. The boy suddenly had tears in his eyes. He looked so vunerable. Kakashi hadn't seen his student like that since the war. "I- I thought I'd be alone-" He said. Kakashi looked at him, slight sadness hinting on his face. The blond shook his head.  
"I'm going to explain everything, but first of all, welcome to the past." The kid said.  
\--Flashback End-  
"That really doesn't explain much." Naruto admitted as the story reached it's end. "White light? The voice? It doesn't make any sense. I travelled back with Kurama's help. Though I am unsure how. It was some kind of jutsu." He continued.   
Kakashi nodded. "I'm not sure either, it's all still a little blurry." Kakashi said. "Whatever happened to you anyway? How did you end up dying?" Naruto looked at the ground. "I- I was careless. Boruto had ran off after another argument. There were som bandits in the forest. I easily got them, but Boruto was still angry. He was yelling and I ended up saying something that hurt him. Bad. The look on his face, it- I hated it." Naruto stared at the floor, his face carried so much emotion.  
"It brought me so much pain, sensei. The look of hurt that spread across his face. I was so shocked- I didn't notice Boruto's warning before it was too late. I had been careless and a hidden bandit, probably with ninja training, he managed to create this large hole through my chest. I got Boruto to ran and get someone. Hinata and Sakura came afterwards." Naruto said.  
Kakashi nodded. "I figured it had to do something with him." Kakashi said. "He looked so haunted at your funeral. His face was blank, lacking emotion." Kakashi sighed. "Hinata got the situation under control right after your death, but the pain of loosing you was so great that I got reinstated." Kakashi said. Naruto nodded. "I see. I asked her to take care of the village until another Hokage could take over." He said.  
"Konohamaru would probably be the next, though he was supposed to gain more experience as a jonin sensei first. I don't know what they'll do now that I'm here too." Kakashi said. Naruto chuckled.  
"They'll figure it out. The will of fire passes through all of them, after all." Naruto mumbled. Kakashi smiled at this. "Spoken like a true Hokage, who knows, perhaps you'll be the fifth this time." Kakashi said. Naruto laughed a bitter laugh at that.   
"The villagers won't accept me, sensei." A pang of guilt spread through Kakashi. He had forgotten how Naruto had been treated in that moment. "They will." Kakashi said. He put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.  
"We both know they will, you'll shine even brighter during this chuunin exam, you'll probably get promoted too. I bet the invasion will be easily handled with you there." Kakashi said. Naruto then laughed.  
"Also, take in the fact that my heritage will be revealed at the exam. I'm going to move into mom and dad's house afterwards." Naruto smirked.  
Kakashi chuckled at that. "I guess the council will wet their pants on the thought that they tried to get the fourth's son locked down and turned into a weapon." Kakashi said. Naruto chuckled at that. "Yeah, I even found the paperwork for it when I went through the files." He admitted.  
Kakashi hummed. "We should go pack, we got to leave soon." He said. Naruto nodded. The previous, or future, Hokages headed back to Tazuna's house. Sakura looked at them strangely. "You took long." She said.  
Kakashi waved his hand. "Ah, we just had to talk about some training stuff." He said. Sakura raised an eyebrow at that but decided not to question it. Naruto headed inside to find his larger scroll, which he strapped on his lower back.  
He headed back out to Kakashi and Sakura. "I'm ready." He said. Kakashi nodded. "Sasuke's over at the bridge with the villagers, he was worried something might happen." Naruto's eyes widened. "Sasuke? Worried?" He asked.  
Kakashi smiled. "Doesn't matter, let's go to the bridge." The three headed towards the gathering of people. Sasuke stood in the far back, looking over everyone.  
"Yo, Sasuke." Naruto said. Sasuke looked at the three. "So you're finally ready to go." He said as they met up.  
"Naruto-niichan!" Inari's voice sounded. "Are you leaving?" He asked sadly. Naruto smiled at him. "We got to go back home you know." He replied. Inari looked at the ground. "I see." He said. Naruto ruffled his hair. "It's time for you to be Wave's hero now, be an image." Naruto said. Inari smiled confidently. "Yeah!" He exclaimed.  
Tazuna and Tsunami came up to them. "Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke. You've done so much for our contry. This bridge, it's the proof of our trust in Konoha. We're going to work out an alliance. The daimyo will see that through." Tazuna said.  
Naruto grinned. Sakura smiled slightly while Sasuke smirked. Kakashi shook Tazuna's hand. "I'll make sure to tell Hokage-sama of your intentions. He'll be prepared." Kakashi said. Tazuna nodded. "Much obliged." He replied.   
"Okay guys, we have to set out. We've got lots of training to do in the next few days." Kakashi said as he started walking. "Yes, sensei." The three genin replied as they followed.  
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A/N  
That's it! I know it isn't the longest chapter, but it does it's part. I've added even more mystery to the time travel haven't I? I'd love to hear your theories on what really happened. Also, please review and tell me your opinions on more possible time travellers. Just to be sure everyone gets this.  
I will not add in more than max two of the Konoha twelve, neither of them are going to be in team 7.   
I will not take in more jonin senseis than Kakashi.  
Jiraiya or Tsunade is something that might happen, but it's unlikely.  
Minato and/or Kushina will only reappear if somehow I get this amazing idea on how it would be possible, but it's probably not going to happen at all.  
Other characters are possible, I already have two in mind. One of the Konoha twelve is already decided, mostly. I might change my mind.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N  
Back again, hello everyone! I appreciate your support and all the reviews and follows. I've also been added to currently two communities, which I'm also gratefull for. Any questions or other Pms are still completely welcome.

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Team 7 arrived at Konoha just when the sun went down. Kakashi dismissed his team as he went to report to the Hokage, but Naruto followed him anyway.   
The two ninja headed towards the tower. There was a calm silence between the two males. "H-how was Hinata?" Naruto asked. He fiddled with his hands. Kakashi looked down. "She took it relatively well. She stayed strong for Himawari and Boruto. We all knew she was hurting though, more than anyone." Kakashi said lowly. 

Naruto smiled, he had tears in his eyes. "I see. Kakashi-sensei, I... I'm not sure if I like this. I" He choked on the words. "I broke my promise." He said.   
Kakashi stopped. He looked at Naruto with determined eyes. "Naruto. You did not fail anyone. Hinata is strong, she can take care of herself. You have a duty here, now. You can save so many people! You are not alone." He said.   
Naruto stared at his teacher. "But I-" "No buts." Kakashi interrupetd. "Naruto, Hinata isn't someone you can replace, I get that. Though, she wouldn't want you to be like this. She would want you to push forwards like you have always done." Kakashi said.   
Naruto looked at the ground. "Yeah. You're right. We have to go to jiji." He said and walked on. Kakashi sighed as he followed. He had noticed that something was strangely off with his student the more he was around him.

When Naruto was hokage, Kakashi had overlooked the signs of tiredness and stress obviously starting to get to him. He had spent more and more time at his office and while Kakashi normally would worry, he had let it slide.  
Now, seeing how this twelve year old kid lookes so old, he reconsidered his choices. The paperwork that followed with being Hokage had tired out many of them, but it was possible to have a better routine at it.   
Naruto was at the office from early morning to late at night, it wasn't healthy and he used his shadow clones to help people all around the village. But he also used shadow clones to be with his family. Not being there by himself, the clones were with them. Or A clone was with them.

Naruto himself probably knew that it wasn't the best way of solving things, but he put so much pressure on himself on being the best hokage, but he had no idea what a parent was supposed to be except from what he had from Minato and Kushina, and he had roughly met them, he was mostly in a difficult fight when they showed up.

There was something of that Naruto who overworked himself that had remained within him when he travelled back. He could see that Naruto had regrets about many things, yet hadn't voiced them, well until now.  
The two arrived at the Third's office soon after. Knocking on the door the two waited for the familiar 'enter'. They stepped inside.  
"Ah, Naruto, Kakashi. Back already?" Hiruzen asked. Both Naruto and Kakashi bowed shortly before standing straight before their hokage.

"The mission was successfull, a bridge has been built between Wave and the Fire Country. Tazuna said that the Wave daimyo wants to work out an alliance between our countries." Kakashi reported shortly.  
"I'm going to write a full written report tomorrow, I just wanted to check in and give a mission clear." Kakashi said. Hiruzen nodded affirmatively. "Naruto?" Hiruzen looked at the blond. "While Kakashi-sensei obviously did was he was supposed to do, hokage-sama. I would like to make a thing clear. This is my jonin sensei. The one I was assigned when I graduated to genin, around twenty years ago." Naruto grinned.  
Hiruzen's eyes widened and looked at Kakashi, who gave an ackward laugh. "Well, you know, I would have liken to have a more smoothly introduction, but I guess Naruto likes the dramatic entrance." Kakashi smiled.   
Hiruzen nodded. "Two timetravellers." He stated. Naruto and Kakashi nodded in unison. "Anyway, Hokage-sama. Anything from Jiraiya?" Naruto asked. Hiruzen nodded. "He arrived today, in the afternoon. He's staying in his apartment in the village. I told him that you would be back soon and that it had something to do with the seal." Hiruzen said.

Naruto nodded, his eyes darkening slightly. "I have to think this through, I can't just come up to him and demand the toad summoning and the key to the seal." Hiruzen and Kakashi nodded in agreement.   
"If you meet him with me, however." Hiruzen said. "We can get the key easily. The toad summoning however, that's up to Jiraiya." Hiruzen continued.   
Naruto looked at the third. "Summon me when we meet, I'm going home to sleep." Naruto said as he bowed again. He looked at Hiruzen for dismissal. The old man smiled at him as he nodded. "Expect it tomorrow around twelve." Hiruzen said. Naruto nodded and left.

"Kakashi." Hiruzen said. "Naruto hasn't told me much about the future. I guess you follow his command there?" Hiruzen asked. Kakashi smiled. "While he is currently twelve years old, I still feel like he is my Hokage. If others of our time had come here too, they would follow him blindly, even if it meant against you. He has hunormous amounts of trust, Hokage-sama. He has by far surpassed his predecessors. I've never seen a better Hokage, even though he does tire himself out." Kakashi said.  
Hiruzen smiled. "I can see it." He said. "Kakashi, I'm getting old. I know something will happen in the upcoming exam. Naruto was supposed to give me the details when he came back, but I guess it will have to wait for tomorrow." Hiruzen continued.   
Kakashi looked at the old man. "Hokage-sama, are you thinking of retiring?" Kakashi asked, his voice showing no emotion. "It has crossed my mind, yes." Hiruzen sighed. He grabbed his pipe.   
"Naruto is too young." Kakashi said. "If that is what you were thinking." He continued. Hiruzen took a drag from his pipe. "I was a teenager when I became Hokage." Hiruzen said. "I'm not planning on retiring today. I want him to be able to deal with whatever his happening in the world right now. The only thing is the chance of me dying. My decision is final, Naruto will become the fifth Hokage." Hiruzen said.

Kakashi looked at him. "I don't doubt the fact that Naruto is and will be a great hokage, but the villagers and the council..." Kakashi said. Hiruzen looked at him.  
"The villagers have no say. I will write it as my final order, I'll add special seals that will only allow Naruto, Jiraiya or the daimyo to open it or remove it from my desk. It also will have security seals only the hokage know of. Naruto's heritage will be revealed during the chuunin exam where he will get a promotion. I'll make sure he gets the required missions to gain the village's trust while he still will be able to move around." Hiruzen said  
Kakashi stared at him. "You're basically training him to become Hokage, well, you already know he is a hokage and a great one, so you're just giving him the tools to gain the trust of the villagers again. While I don't think you're wrong, Naruto won't agree." Kakashi said.

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Naruto is Naruto, he wants recognition because he earned it, not because he was given it. He won't accept-" Hiruzen stared him dead in the eye.  
"Danzo will try and get the seat, both me and Naruto won't allow it. I know you won't either. Jiraiya wouldn't want the position and rather just do something stupid and Tsunade doesn't want to be in the village. I have no other person I trust with this. I'm also going to make precautions. I'll give instructions to Koharu and Homura, they'll 'teach' him how to deal with different affairs, when they see how he is already skilled in the job, they won't have any worries." Hiruzen said.  
"I'm still not going to retire now, Kakashi. I don't plan on retiring for perhaps another three or four years. I'm just worried about the exam or another occurence." Hiruzen said.   
Kakashi nodded. "I'm not the one against your decision, Hokage-sama. Naruto won't disobey your orders either. If you retire, then perhaps he will try and argue his way out, but if something were to happen and this will of yours appeared... well, I don't think he would risk opposing you." Kakashi said.

"I have also written a side note to the Daimyo, it will be a detailed report on Naruto's skills. I want you to help me detail more which I don't know." Hiruzen said. Kakashi nodded.  
"I'll do it, I don't want to end up with Danzo, but I do think Tsunade might be an option." Kakashi said. Hiruzen shook his head. "While I believe Tsunade would become a great hokage if she chose it, I'd rather have her come into the village in a better way. Like the medical program she tried to get in during the war." He said.

"I see, well then, I need rest. I'm still training Sasuke and Sakura, even if Naruto probably will be busy the entire day with Jiraiya." Kakashi said. Hiruzen nodded. "Yeah, you're dismissed Kakashi." Hiruzen said. Kakashi bowed before using the Body Flicker out of the room.

\---

Naruto woke up the next morning with a loud yawn. He dragged himself out of bed before putting on his clothes. Half asleep, the blond headed towards the Hyuuga compound. The sun had just risen and yet the village had some of it's usual energy.  
Naruto smiled as he watched the villagers, contempt with seeing them so happy. A glare was sent his way. Naruto met the eyes of the villager. He smiled at the old man. "Good morning." Naruto said as he continued past him.  
The old man looked at him strangely. He huffed before turning back to his little shop. Naruto smiled for himself. It didn't take him long to reach the compound. The guard just nodded at him as he entered.  
Naruto went to the Clan Head's house. Ko stood by the entrance. "Hinata, I guess." Ko said. Naruto nodded. "We're going to train for an hour or two this morning before I meet with the Hokage." Naruto said. Ko nodded. He went inside the house.  
After a couple of minutes he returned with Hinata. She was dressed in a simple dark sweater and pants, mobile and light for training. 

"Hinata." Naruto said smiling. The other girl blushed. "Hello, Naruto-kun." She said quietly. "Let's go, I know a great training spot." Naruto said as he lead the way. Hinata followed after him, her face still red.  
Training ground 36 was a quiet training ground just at the edge of the village. A river ran through it and it was a fairly large clearing with a thick forest around it. Naruto looked at Hinata. "This is it, now, we should start with a spar so we can assess eachother's skills." Naruto said.

Hinata nodded, although she was hesitant. Naruto threw off his hoodie, showing his mesh tshirt underneath. "Come at me." He said. Hinata nodded and got into a shaky stance. Naruto got into another stance, although his was much more firm.  
Hinata's byakugan activated, her heading towards Naruto at a mediocre speed. She aimed a punch at his shoulder, which he easily deflected. Naruto aimed a fist at her stomach which she dodged, but Naruto followed up with a kick which hit her dead on.  
Naruto stopped. "Hinata." he said. Hinata looked at her. "Are you underestimating me?" Hinata's eyes widened. "N-no, why d-do you think that?" She asked. Naruto looked at her. "Hinata, I know you're strong. This however, you're holding back. I'm not someone you need to hold back on. I want you to come at me with everything you got!" Naruto said.

Hinata blushed as she stared at him, the wide smile he wore as he wanted her to fight him seriously. She got down into her stance, a determination starting to show across her face.   
"Let's do this!" Naruto said. Hinata sped at him, this time more accurate with her strikes. Naruto could still easily dodge them, but he felt Hinata's determination flow through her strikes.   
After around ten minutes, Hinata was getting tired. She was panting as she continued to dodge Naruto's strikes. Naruto held his hand up. "That's enough." He said. Hinata looked at him, disappointment flashed across her face.  
"I'm not good enough." She said quietly. Naruto shook his head. "I've seen more than enough Hinata, you're strong. You just need better help. The Hyuuga clan has been so stuck up with their traditions. You're more a speed based person, but the other Hyuugas are more like strength-ish." Naruto tried to explain.

Hinata looked at him with wide eyes. "How do you know this?" She asked. Naruto shrugged. "I just read myself up on some stuff, now I want to check your chakra nature." Naruto took out a piece of chakra conductive paper.  
"Just channel your chakra to this. If it turns to dust, it's earth, if it splits in half, it's wind, if it catch fire, it's well, fire. If it turns damp, it's water and if it crumples, it's lightning." Naruto explained. Hinata nodded and took the paper.  
She channeled her chakra into it, the paper turned damp almost instantly. Naruto smiled. "Water. Now, I have several water styled techniques, you can borrow these scrolls and study them at your own pace. I'll help you out with what I can. Also, there is water in everything. If you stay by the river, you should try and create bubbles of water. It's a water nature training, you could say." Naruto explained.

Hinata smiled. "Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata said. Naruto looked at her. "Now, your stance is very rigid. I want you to focus on your speed and precision, also work on your chakra reserves. Chanelling more chakra to your palms won't help with the juuken, but you'll last longer." Naruto said. Hinata nodded.

"Also, if the juuken doesn't fit you, why don't you just try and create your own style. I have done that. My style revolves around my shadow clones and my different ninjutsu, being able to utilize them to their fullest potential. Having to switch between ninjutsu and taijutsu won't always give yourself an advantage. Of course, being unable to use taijutsu if your chakra isn't available will be a drawback. That something you should keep in mind." Naruto said.  
Naruto grinned at Hinata. "I suggest you train really hard this week Hinata, there's something big coming up soon. You can train here whenever you want, the Hokage has reserved this area for me. Also, if you want me to train with you, just go to my apartment. It's on the third floor in the complex at the end of the backstreet." Naruto said. 

"I'll come by every now and then to check how you're doing. I have some sensory skills, so don't worry about me not finding you." Naruto said. Hinata smiled.  
"Thank you, Naruto-kun, I don't know what to say..." Hinata said as she fiddled with her fingers. Naruto grinned once more. "Don't worry about it." A hawk's cry from above got the two genin's attention.  
"The Hokage is calling for me." Naruto said. He looked at Hinata. "Sorry to have to cut this short. I have to go, see you later!" Naruto waved as he ran off. 

Naruto arrived at the tower shortly afterwards, heading straight towards the Hokage's office. He knocked. "Enter." Naruto opened the door. Hiruzen, Jiraiya and Kakashi was inside. "Jiji." Naruto said as he bowed slightly.  
"Naruto, you're as fast as ever." Hiruzen replied. "Jiraiya, this is Naruto." Hiruzen told Jiraiya. The white haired man nodded. "I know." He replied. "Now, this was about the seal?" Jiraiya asked. Naruto nodded.

"I need the key." He said. Jiraiya's eyes widened. "What? You can't possibly be thinking of releasing the Kyuubi!" Jiraiya exclaimed. He looked at Hiruzen and Kakashi. "You both knew about this? It's insane!" He said.  
Naruto looked at him. "Hey, I know my capabilities better than you. While I do respect you more than anyone, The seal is currently in my way, at least it's way too tight." Naruto said. "The Fourth Hokage sealed it that way so that the beast wouldn't escape." Jiraiya said.

"Dad sealed the Kyuubi inside me so I could have the power to defeat a powerful person." Naruto said. Hiruzen looked at him with wonder this time. Jiraiya's eyes widened. "You know." He said. Naruto nodded.  
"It doesn't take a genius to find out." Naruto said. He looked at Kakashi, a look of doubt across his face. His hand was shaking.

"I need the key. The sooner the better. The Chuunin exam is coming up and we need to plan stuff." Naruto said as he avoided looking at Jiraiya. It didn't go unnoticed.

"Naruto." Kakashi said. "Don't push this. We both know how-" "Kakashi-sensei. We both know how important this is. My personal feelings can't get in the way." Naruto said. Kakashi stared at him, slightly taken aback by the retort.  
"I need the key." Naruto said as he stared at the Third. The old man's eyes was steeled at him. "Sensei." Jiraiya said. "I can't go along with this, Minato gave me the responsibility to-" "To give me the seal when I was ready. I know what he did!" Naruto interrupted.   
Kakashi finally snapped. "Naruto, this is enough." He said loudly. Naruto winced. "I'll go over the Chuunin exam with the Hokage. You go and cool down. This last week's events have probably taken it's toll. I should've noticed yesterday. Jiraiya-sama, Naruto is more than ready to have the key. Just give the kid some time, he's been through a lot." Kakashi said.

With that said, Kakashi looked at Naruto with hard eyes. The blond went out the door silently. Jiraiya looked at Kakashi and Hiruzen. "Should I stay here for this conversation?" He asked. Kakashi smiled slightly. "Actually, I think you should talk to Naruto. He needs someone to talk to now, but don't back down if he blows up a little." Kakashi said. Jiraiya nodded as he followed after the blond.

\-------------------------------  
A/N  
That's it for this chapter.   
The next chapter will be deciding Naruto and Jiraiya's relationship throughout a large part of this story. I would like y'all to tell me your ideas on how it should turn out!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N  
Hello everyone, I'm back with another chapter!! I was actually planning on updating my other story, but I was suddenly in the need on writing here instead.

  
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Jiraiya didn't have any problem finding the blond jinchuuriki. You could hear his trashing from the tower, with that said, the place was fairly close. Naruto had climbed the Hokage mountain, where the carved faces of the hokages was.  
Jiraiya saw the boy from his hiding spot in the trees, he was crying, screaming while punching a nearby tree.  
Jiraiya looked as his knuckles bled before healing again. How did he heal? Was it his Uzumaki blood, or was the seal already failing?

  
Jiraiya watched as the kid sat down in a meditating position, the blond's chest rigidly rising up and down. Then he saw familiar red markings forming it's way around the boy's eyes. Naruto opened them, to reveal yellow frog like eyes.  
"Kid, how did you learn that?" Jiraiya asked. No, he demanded. Naruto jumped. "Ero-sennin!" He exclaimed before he clamped his mouth shut.  
"Ero... sennin." Jiraiya tasted the phrase on his tongue. "Kid, I'm not a pervert, I'm a super pervert!" Jiraiya said out of habit. Naruto's eyes went back to their sky blue colour.   
"But, how did you learn sage mode?" Jiraiya asked again. Naruto looked around him. "Sage mode? What's that?" He asked as he began to whistle.  
"Kid, you're a terrible liar," Jiraiya sighed. He went closer to Naruto.

  
"Are you okay?" He asked as he looked at the teen. Naruto stared up at him. "No, not really," he said. Jiraiya looked at him. "Why do you want the key? I didn't know you knew about Minato, Sensei was supposed to keep me updated on you." Jiraiya said.  
"Well, it's been a long time since I found out about Mom and Dad, for they key, I don't have any contact at all with Kyuubi and I need that. I won't be able to control his chakra unless I talk to him." Naruto said as he eyed Jiraiya carefully.  
"Control his chakra? Now? You're what? Twelve?" Jiraiya asked. Naruto huffed. "You wouldn't know my capabilities would you? You haven't exactly been around." Naruto said. A pang of guilt spread through Jiraiya.  
"Kid, I didn't have the time, I'm also not the one for taking care of a baby." Jiraiya explained. Naruto sent him a glare. «Do I look like a baby?» Naruto asked. Jiraiya shook his head. "Of course not, but I couldn't take care of you when you were." Jiraiya said.  
"You didn't even stop by." Naruto said. The two met each other's eyes. "Anyway, sage mode. Don't try and fool me. I know what I saw." Jiraiya said. Naruto looked at the ground.

  
"Let's go back to the Hokage." Naruto said. "This conversation can't just be had anywhere." He continued. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. The two started to walk down the monument, towards the tower.  
"I'm sorry. Naruto said. Jiraiya looked down at the blond. "For what?" He asked. Naruto looked straight ahead. "Earlier, I shouldn't've blown up like that. Even Kakashi-sensei had enough." Naruto chuckled.  
Jiraiya smiled. "It's okay, I'm sure it links to that conversation we're going to have with Sensei?" Jiraiya asked. Naruto nodded. "I want you to take in consideration that I'm putting a huge amount of trust in you with this, there are reasons for that though. I hope that even though everything you hear in there sounds a little insane, you'll listen and respect the Third's say on it." Naruto said.

  
Jiraiya looked at him. "I've been through war, I doubt much can surprise me." Jiraiya sighed. Naruto chuckled. "Wanna bet?" He said as they entered the tower.   
The two walked in silence the rest of the time. They entered the office, although Naruto was slightly hesitant.

  
"Hokage-sama, Kakashi-sensei, I'm sorry for the outburst. I would like us to proceed with explaining to Jiraiya here the current situation." Naruto said as he bowed.   
Kakashi looked at him carefully while Hiruzen stared at the two. "Are you sure?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto nodded. "I trust him." He said. "Very well." Hiruzen said.  
"Jiraiya, Naruto is the one who will have the word this time around. He's the one who's mostly informed." Hiruzen said to Jiraiya. Jiraiya nodded.  
Naruto took a deep breath. "While I wish I could've told you my entire story, I don't want to create ripples, yet." Naruto explained.

  
"Ehm, as you know, my name is Uzumaki Naruto. I'm currently thirty two years old, I'm also the seventh hokage." Naruto smiled. Kakashi smirked at the statement while Hiruzen just huffed.  
Jiraiya stared blankly at him. "Hokage?" He said. Naruto lifted his chest proudly. "Yup, I was 'crowned' not too long ago." He said. Kakashi smiled behind his mask.   
"That's insane, first of all, you can't be thirty two, we have only had four Hokages and why the hell would you say that?" Jiraiya asked.

  
"Time travel." Naruto grinned. Jiraiya grimaced. He looked over at Hiruzen. "Well, it is true. That's how he knows about, well, everything." Hiruzen said. Jiraiya's gaze wandered back to Naruto.   
"Sage mode." Jiraiya said. Naruto nodded. "I learned it from Fukasaku-sensei." Naruto said. Jiraiya looked at him. "You got the summoning contract?" He asked. Naruto nodded.  
"If you want a short summary of my skills, I can give it." Naruto said. Jiraiya nodded. "First of all, in my time at least, I had full mastery of the kyuubi chakra. Hence the reason why I want to loosen the seal, I need to find out whether or not it is the Kyuubi from my time." Naruto explained.

  
"I have mastered the Rasengan, the different sizes and evolved it with different nature chakra. I know the Shadow Clone jutsu which goes really well with my inhuman chakra reserves. I have mastered Sage Mode and I'm currently studying fuinjutsu. I'm also trying to even out my taijutsu skills." Naruto said smiling.

  
Jiraiya stared at him with wide eyes. "Who trained you?" He asked. Naruto looked at Kakashi. "He was my Jonin sensei when I graduated at twelve, I was apprenticed by you after the Chuunin Exam. Spent two years with you on a trip. I've also been trained by Yamato, or as you know him now, Tenzo. I got little instruction from Asuma too." Naruto said.

  
"I apprenticed you, that's why you were so emotional when I came." Jiraiya said. Naruto blushed slightly. "You're catching on quick." He said. Jiraiya smiled. "I'm a ninja, not everything seem so surprising anymore." He sighed.  
"Anyway, I nearly got killed, but I got back here due to some jutsu thing me and Kurama did. Right now, I'm working on changing certain things that happened in my timeline that I don't want to happen now. Which is why we really have to plan this Chuunin Exam." Naruto said.

  
Hiruzen looked at him. "Would you like to say why?" He asked. Naruto nodded. "I have been careful on things to say, but this is important. Orochimaru will be here and he will kill the Fourth kazekage, plan an invasion with Suna and things go to hell from there." Naruto said.

  
"It was here most of the problems from my time started. This is a crucial point in history." Naruto continued. The other men in the room nodded.  
"First of all, Kakashi-sensei. Orochimaru will target Sasuke because of his Sharingan. You have to train Sakura and him hard during the remaining time. Jiji, you have to alarm the other Jonin of the village and ANBU, but we have to go through with the exam itself. We need to be prepared, but not let Orochimaru or Suna know that we know." Naruto explained. "We don't want them to prepare something that I don't know of."

  
"Ero-sennin, you must be at the arena during the finals. Orochimaru attacked Jiji there and went one on one, or actually, three on one. He revived the first and second Hokage with the Edo Tensei." Naruto said. Hiruzen's eyes widened.   
"Edo Tensei? How did he learn that?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto shrugged. "Beats me, but he does." Naruto looked at the three. "My heritage will also be revealed during the exam, which will certainly alarm the other villagers, but I would like them all to come." Naruto said.

  
"Are you crazy? While Kiri is neutral, Kumo and Iwa hates us." Jiraiya interrupted. Naruto lifted a hand. "My goal is to have every shinobi work together as one unit, that is how I want to bring peace." Jiraiya's eyes widened.  
"You took on that goal too?" He asked. Naruto nodded.

  
"Anyway, I don't want any casualities except from the Sound Ninja. Gaara, the One-tail Jinchuuriki, is highly unstable. I know what seal he has and how to fix it. I need to get to him one way or another, but that's my mission. I want Kiri, Kumo, Iwa and Suna to be there for negotiations too. It's also good for all the villagers to show off and Orochimaru will be outnumbered." Naruto explained.

  
"After the exam however, there's the matter of Akatsuki." Hiruzen raised an eyebrow at Naruto's statement. Naruto continued his explanation. "The Akatsuki is a mercenary group made up by S-class missing nin. Their members are Itachi from Konoha, Sasori from Suna, Deidara from Iwa, Kakazu from Taki, Kisame from Kiri and Hidan from Yuga. They work in pairs of two. Itachi and Kisame will sneak into the village after the exam final, targeting me." Naruto said.  
"The Akatsuki is after the jinchuuriki. Now, Kakashi-sensei, I want you to think of a plan about Tobi and Pain.. well, I'll deal with him. I want to save him." Naruto said.

  
Kakashi nodded. "I understand, but you don't want to talk about them?" He asked. Naruto shook his head. "Don't need any unrational decisions." He said. Jiraiya looked at the two.  
"Okay, okay. I understand the entire time travel thing and that you know most about what'll happen, but I can't just blindly follow a twelve year old." Jiraiya said.

  
Naruto smiled. "That's why I'm going to show off at the Chuunin exam. Also, I'm the seventh Hokage, so I know leadership." Naruto said. Hiruzen smirked slightly at the statement.  
"The problem is getting Kumo and Iwa to us. Revealing my heritage with Iwa there is a little risky, but I can handle whoever comes my way." Naruto said. Jiraiya seemed more concerned than Kakashi, while the Third looked as serious as ever.  
"But if it is necessary, I can do a haste mission to both of the hidden villages, how many days is it before the exam?" Naruto asked. "It's in two weeks, we planned having it in a few days, but I liked the idea of having more time to prepare with the info you said you'd give when Jiraiya came," Hiruzen said.

  
Naruto nodded. "Reasonable," Naruto created two shadow clones, he did a few handsigns before he slammed his hands on the back of the clones. "There," He said.   
The three older men in the room looked at him for a further explanation. "Ah, I put a seal on them that connects them to me, channeling my chakra to them when their reserves get dangerously low. They are also more durable than normal shadow clones, if the Raikage or Tsuchikage is opposed to the fact that they are clones, I'll just have to go myself." Naruto said.

  
"These clones will go to Iwa and Kumo, Jiji, I want you to make sure that Kiri comes. Send a message or anything, if necessary I'll go there too." Naruto said. Hiruzen nodded.  
"It'll be seen to." Hiruzen affirmed. "Now, Jiraiya. The key to Naruto's seal." Jiraiya looked at the old Hokage hesitantly. "If you must, but if anything goes wrong, it's not my fault." Jiraiya said. Naruto and Hiruzen nodded at this.  
"Even if.. Kyuubi isn't cooperative here. I know I can make it." Naruto said. "Though, I need a place a little away from the village, just to be sure." Naruto said. Hiruzen nodded. "There is a private training ground for the Hokage on the monument." He said as he stood up, leading the way.

  
After walking up the many steps of the monument, the four ninja found themselves not too far from a large clearing, which Naruto assumed was the training ground.   
Naruto looked at Jiraiya expectantly. The Toad sage sighed as he summoned Gerotora, a special scroll toad. The toad forced it's way out of Jiraiya's throat, something Naruto would never get used to. He also brough out the Toad summoning contract. "Now, Naruto. I need you to sign this first." Jiraiya said as he pointed to the contract.  
Naruto nodded, drawing blood from his hand, he wrote his name on the scroll. Jiraiya looked at Gerotora. "Allow Naruto here to have the key." Jiraiya said. Gerotora's eyes widened. "You want to keep the key right next to the lock?" Gerotora asked. Jiraiya nodded slowly.

  
"This discussion has already been done." He said. Naruto then placed his hand on the square, located just above the complicated formula his father had written twelve years ago.  
"Okay then, going into storage." Gerotora said. Naruto opened his mouth as wide as he could. "Kid, I thought you wouldn't know-" "Ero-sennin," Naruto said. "I know this stuff, remember?" He asked. Jiraiya nodded.  
Gerotora jumped into Naruto's mouth trying to force his way down Naruto's mouth. The problem was only that with Naruto's small body, he could hardly fit. That's when Kakashi came in. He pushed Gerotora hard, shoving him into Naruto's mouth.  
Naruto sat on the ground, gagging. "I hate that." He said. He then turned over into a meditating position. "I'm going to go into the mindscape. I haven't been able to before, but I guess if I just loose the seal a little it'll go nicely." Naruto said as he lifted his shirt.  
He placed his finger over the seal, turning it like a lid.

  
**"So, the twerp has come to see me."**

  
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A/N  
I know this chapter is pretty short compared to some of the others, but I felt that it was time for a little update and the chapter ended kinda well there.  
I want your final opinion if this shall be FutureKurama or PastKurama, for now, It is Future who is most likely.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N  
Hello guys! I'm back again with another chapter. I was really surprised by the amount if reviews I got for the last chapter, but I'm also very happy. So, I won't waste more of your time.

  
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**"So, the twerp has come to see me,"** Naruto recognised Kurama's voice immediatly. He opened his eyes to find himself in the familiar sewer.   
"Ku- Kyuubi." Naruto said. He had to thread carefully here. If this was the Kurama he had met as a twelve year old, taking control would be much harder as the tailed beast's chakra hadn't leaked through his system as much as in the previous timeline.

  
**"That's right, I'm the mighty Kyuubi no Kitsune! A swish of my tail creates tsunamis or can destroy a mountain! Shiver in fear, puny human,"** the fox said.  
Naruto furrowed his brows. Slight dissapointment flashed across his face. "So, you've never met me before." Naruto said. The fox stared at him, the killer intent he leaked was nothing to laugh at.  
 **"No, this is the first time I have met _you_."** He said. Naruto looked down at his reflection. "So, you didn't tag along did'ya." He said.

  
A sudden bark of laughter erupted in the room. Naruto looked up to see the fox heaving for air as he laughed. Small tears formed in the corners of his eyes.  
 **"I'm sorry- I can't - keep"** Another round of heavy laughter interrupted. **"Your face! You really love me don't you kit!"** Naruto's eyes widened. He gave a wide grin.  
"Kurama!" He exclaimed happily. **"Hell yeah, you didn't really think I would trust you enough to fix the past all by yourself now, did you?"** Kurama replied proudly. He then looked at the bars.   
**"Now please, open up this damn cage."** Naruto nodded. He grabbed the seal on his stomach once again, twisting it completely.

  
It didn't take long before Kurama sprung out of the cage, stretching his long body. Naruto looked at his now golden appearance. "I guess it's already mastered." Naruto said as he smiled.

  
**"Of course, chakra is both mental and physical, since we already were synchronized, another round of tug wouldn't have any purpose. Your healing powers are also functioning properly,"** Kurama said. Naruto grinned in reply.   
"Now, you can see through my memories right? I really don't want to explain everything again." Naruto said. Kurama gave a small smile back. **"Of course, but really, you should've seen your face when you thought I was this timelines Kyuubi."** Kurama said.  
Naruto then looked questioning at him. "Speaking of which, what happened to past me and past Kyuubi?" Naruto asked. Kurama shrugged. **"We merged, so to say. Our minds merged with theirs, but since their memories match those of ours from long ago, it still doesn't feel like we're them."**

  
A bright light interrupted their conversations. Golden particles appeared in the mindscape, quickly finding eachother and starting to bulk up.  
Naruto stared blankly as the light began to take up to forms. Human forms.

  
"Naruto." A female voice sounded. Naruto's eyes met another's. The light faded, leaving only the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, to stand before him.  
"Mom, Dad." Naruto said hesitantly. Kushina and Minato shared a look.

  
"We were not supposed to come here together." Minato said. He then looked directly at Naruto. "What happened?" He asked. Naruto smiled.   
"Well,-" "And why do you look like an old man?!" Kushina interrupted loudly. "That is the real issue here!" She exclaimed. Naruto then took a closer look at himself. Indeed, he wore similiar clothes to what he wore in the real world, but his body was still that of a grown man.

  
"Long story short, I travelled in time! I messsed up a little as an adult, came back to fix everything. Since I already mastered Kurama's chakra," he pointed to the fox behind them. "I unlocked the seal. I guess that since Mom was to appear when I tried to control it and Dad was supposed to appear when I reached the eight tailed state, the sudden release just triggered it?" Naruto said.

  
Minato nodded. "That might explain it." He said. He then looked closer at his son. "You've grown into a splendid young man, haven't you?" Minato smiled. Naruto laughed in embarrassment. Kushina smiled. "You've gone through a lot, huh?" Kushina said.   
Naruto gave the two of them a hug. "I met you once, in my youth. I was sixteen. Dad was reanimated by the edo tensei during the Fourth Ninja War, but we didn't really have the time to catch up. I never thought I would see the two of you again." Naruto said. Minato and Kushina hugged their son back, the three of them sharing eachother's mental warmth.

  
"Naruto," Minato said. "The Namikaze estate, it isn't really an estate. It was a larger house I got when I became Hokage. It's secured by a blood seal at the gate. I didn't live there, but a barrier seal should've left it in top condition. It was mostly used to train as there is a large training ground there. I'm sure you'll find some us for it." Minato explained.

  
Naruto nodded. "I got your notes and items from the Third, in my timeline they were destroyed during an invasion." Naruto shivered slightly.  
"The Hiraishin, I'm going to master it. I've already mastered the rasengan, even added elemental varieties. I can also create larger versions. I also mastered sage mode, Kurama's chakra as I mention earlier. I have also started covering up my greater weaknesses in this timeline!" Naruto said loudly. He still clung to his parents like a child.

  
Kushina stroked his back. She then got a wide grin across her face. "Since you're an adult, well at least were, please tell me, did you find a wife?" Naruto's sudden eruption of a blush gave him away. Kushina broke out in loud laughter, while Minato chuckled.  
"That's my boy, what's her name? What does she look like? Did you have any kids?" Kushina asked excitedly. Naruto grinned.

  
"Her name is Hinata. She's one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen, second to you, mom. She's the daughter of Hiashi Hyuuga, also one of the strongest ninja in my generation. We had two kids, Boruto and Himawari. I-" Naruto looked down. "Might never see them again." He mumbled.

  
The cheerfull atmosphere disappeared. Kushina hugged him tightly. "It's okay, Naruto." She mumbled into his hair. "She's still alive, isn't she?" Kushina asked. Naruto nodded. "I don't know in the other timeline, but she's still alive here." Naruto said. Kushina smiled. "See? She hasn't gone anywhere." Kushina said.

  
"But, this Hinata is not my wife. It's a twelve year old girl I hardly know." Naruto retorted. Kushina smiled. "You have a point, but what you do about it is your choice." Minato patted Naruto on the shoulder.  
"It'll be okay in the end, I guess this entire thing might be a little stressfull, but in the end you will suceed." Minato said. Naruto looked at him. "How do you know?" He asked. Minato's lips spread into a grin.  
"You're our son after all."

  
**"Blah, Blah. I've heard enough now. You should be happy I was quiet for that long."** Kurama interupted. Naruto laughed.  
 **"Kit, I know you miss your mate and all that, but right now, we have bigger problems. You want to stop that Uchiha friend of yours right? Well, you should really get both him and that pink haired teammate of yours ready for that exam."** Kurama said.  
Naruto huffed. "I know that, Kakashi-sensei is going to train them." Kurama looked thoughtfull for a minute. "Well, he knows the threats, so I guess he might do it right." Kurama concluded. Naruto chuckled.

  
**"Let's skin that snake."** Kurama proposed. Naruto looked up at him. "That's not a bad idea. Kill him quickly. I can also spare time to get to Gaara during the second part of the exam. Probably." Naruto said. Kurama nodded.  
Naruto then looked at his parents. "Sorry, the Chuunin exam is coming up. It's really a major point in history, depending on what happen here, it'll determine the Hokages, who lives and who dies and stuff." Naruto explained shortly.  
It was then a bright light surrounded Minato and Kushina again. Naruto's mood fell down quickly. "Oh no.." He said. "It's time to go, isn't it?" Minato said. He looked at Kushina who was still smiling gently at Naruto.

  
"Naruto, remember to eat well, not only ramen. Take your training seriously too. Don't give up on that love life of yours. Give Kakashi our regards... I wish, I wish I could've stayed with you." Kushina said as tears formed in her eyes.  
"I, I said goodbye to you twelve years ago, yet.. it's so hard to let go again." She said. Minato laid an arm around her reassuringly. He then looked at Naruto. "Naruto, as your father, there are many things I wanted to teach you and see you do, but I know you'll do great. As your mother, I wish you good health and many friends. You probably don't remember the things we said to you that night, but I do. I can see your mother's wishes reached you." Minato smiled.

  
Naruto nodded. "I eat well now, when I was young I mostly ate ramen. In the previous timeline, I had lots and lots of friends, everyone was really nice. I'm sure I'll befriend them again. I take a bath almost every day, I sometimes stop by the hot springs too. I was really bad with studies, but I have learned so much by now. When I was nineteen, I got promoted to jonin. I could've done it when I was seventeen, but I lacked in the studies part. I had to study for two whole years." Naruto said exasperated.   
"Hinata is a great person, she's like mom in many aspects. I also achieved my dream, when I turned thirty two, I became Hokage. The seventh!" Naruto grinned.

  
"I'm.. so happy I got to see you guys again." Naruto said. Minato and Kushina nodded. "We love you," they replied. Naruto gave them a thumbs up. "I love you too." He said.  
They disappeared, leaving Naruto alone with Kurama.

  
**"That was really sad."** Kurama sniffed. **"I'm crying, look!"**  He said. Naruto gave a small glare at Kurama. The fox laughed. **"Come on, it was so much drama. I don't deal with that."** Kurama retorted. Naruto gave a shrug.  
"I'm gonna go back to Kakashi-sensei and the others." Naruto said. Kurama nodded.

  
When Naruto opened his eyes, his glowing appearance had receded. Jiraiya and Hiruzen looked at him exptectantly. Kakashi just gave him a small smile.  
"So? How did it go?" Jiraiya asked. Naruto gave a smile. "It went as smoothly as it could get. I'm also going to give my regards from Mom and Dad." Naruto looked at Kakashi.  
"What? Minato and Kushina?" Jiraiya asked. He looked at Naruto as if he had grown a second head. "Yup, Dad added their remaining chakra to the seal formula for the day I was going to master the Kyuubi chakra and a safe lock in case I reached the eight tailed state. Now, since I've already mastered the chakra before, they just appeared." Naruto said quickly.

  
Hiruzen nodded. "It does sound like Minato." He said. "Anyway, Kakashi-sensei. I expect you to train Sakura and Sasuke as well as you can until the exam." Naruto said. Kakashi gave a mock saluty in reply before disappearing.  
"My clones are already on their way to Kumo and Iwa. Jiji, I need you to have your most stealthy ANBU follow Yakushi Kabuto. He's a traitor. Let's leave it at that. Ero-sennin, I need you to be in the best of shapes during the final exam. I suggest you get some training in, no matter how much you don't believe you need it." Naruto said.

  
His eyes then widened. "I have an idea." Naruto whispered. "Kurama." Naruto said to his tailed beast. **"Yeah."** Kurama replied. "We can contact the other Jinchuuriki with the mental link, right?" Naruto asked. "Perhaps Yagura is still alive! He died shortly before the exam." Naruto exclaimed. **"Isobu's jinchuuriki?"** Kurama asked. "That's the one. I believe he is in a genjutsu right now, being controlled by Madara." Naruto replied.

  
**"Okay, let's do it."** Kurama said. Naruto felt himself being pulled into his mind. Appearing in a large room, which did not resemble the sewer at all, Naruto noticed Kurama standing behind him. Before him, Naruto saw eight large shadows.

  
**"Kurama."** A voice said. **"I thought you wouldn't come back here."** Kurama huffed. **"That was a long time ago, Matatabi."** Kurama responded. "The two tailed cat, Matatabi." Naruto said. Matatabi appeared, the blue and black flames covering her body.   
**"You know my name, human."** Matatabi said. Naruto nodded.

  
"Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, Son Goku, Kokuo, Saiken, Chomei, Gyuki and Kurama. The tailed beasts, nine pieces of the Juubi. Split by Ootsutsuki Hagoromo and Hamura." Naruto said.  
 **"You're well informed, did you entrust this information to him, Kurama?"** Another voice sounded. **"I informed him of my name, but there is a long and complicated story of the rest, Gyuki."** Naruto's eyes widened.  
"Is Octopops here too?" Naruto then looked towards Gyuki's feet, where Bee would have stood. **"Octopops?"** Gyuki asked. "He means your jinchuuriki." Kurama explained.   
Bee then appeared. "Hachi, why did you call me here? This isn't our usual atmosphere." Bee rapped.

Naruto grinned. "Yo! I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto said.   
"Matatabi, can you call your jinchuuriki here too?" Naruto asked.  
 **"Yeah, but she might leave the second that she arrives, she doesn't trust me."** Matatabi said. Naruto nodded. Yugito's form showed shortly afterwards.  
"What is this place, Nibi?" Yugito asked.

Naruto waved. "Hello! I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto shouted across the room. Yugito lookes slightly startled by his precence.  
"Bee? What are you doing here?" She asked. Bee was dancing. "I got called here by Hachi, then met by Naruto Uzumaki." He rapped. It was a really bad rhyme.   
"I don't think we'll get Shukaku and Gaara here." Naruto muttered. "Kurama, can you call the other tailed beasts?" Naruto asked.  
 **"I can, but they don't always respond."** Kurama said. Some other forms began flickering.

  
"So we have, Matatabi, Isobu, Son Goku, Gyuuki and Kurama." Naruto said as the forms was as clear as day.  
 **"How come this human knows our names?"** Isobu asked. **"I don't know, but I guess Kurama had a hand in this. I thought you didn't communicate with your jinchuuriki."** Gyuki said.  
"Isobu!" Naruto exclaimed. "Is Yagura still under the genjutsu?" He asked. Isobu's eyes widened. **"How do you know?"** Isobu asked. Naruto waved his arms frantically.   
"Someones is going to kill Yagura soon! He must not go with the hunter nins for that traitor person!" Naruto said. Isobu's eyes widened. **"But that's where he's going now-"**   
"Shit!" Naruto said. "I'm going. Kurama, I'm going to need your chakra, and lots of it. I need to make it to Yagura before Itachi gets him."

  
**"Kit, do you know how far that is?"** Kurama asked. Naruto nodded. "Yep. Yagura managed to hold of Itachi slightly because he went into the second state. We have to get there, let's say, max thirty minutes." Naruto said. He then went back to the real world.  
"Sorry, Jiji, Jiraiya. I have to go to Kiri right now. It's really urgent. The Mizukage is about to get killed." Naruto said as he channeled Kurama's chakra, gaining the golden cloak he found really cool.  
"What-" Jiraiya didn't even manage to complete his sentence before Naruto had sped off, leaving a small crater behind.

  
Everything appeared as a blur when Naruto sped past. Kurama got updates from Isobu and Yagura had yet to meet any conflict. This gave Naruto slightly more time. That thirty minute gap he had proposed seemed really hard to reach, but the distances weren't that long.

  
He had to detour slightly, travelling through the Land of Tea so he didn't have to run on water, which could be slightly dangerous considering the unpreditable weather.   
It took him nearly twenty five minutes for him to reach the border between Cha and Mizu, which was when Isobu said that Yagura found the traitor and that he and his squad had engaged in combat,  
Naruto swore loudly, channeling more chakra to his feet as he sped across the water. There were few islands between Mizu and Cha that he had to cross, which really was annoying.   
Naruto created a shadow clone who stopped to gather nature chakra. When he arrived at Mizu's border, the clone had dispelled.   
Using Sage mode, Naruto located Yagura's massive chakra, but also another signature he wouldn't forget.

  
"Itachi!" Naruto shouted loudly, channeling chakra to his voice so that it sounded even to Yagura and Itachi's location. It wasn't that far really, it didn't take Naruto more than a minute or two to reach them, yagura being shrouded by red chakra.  
"Itachi Uchiha," Naruto said. "Back away from the jinchuuriki." He said. Itachi looked at him strangely.  
"Naruto-kun." Itachi said. "Aren't you a little far away from Konoha." He continued.

  
Naruto gave a grin. "I was in Konoha around thirty minutes ago, I think it took a little more to get here, but I didn't pay that much attention to it." Itachi's eyes widened. Naruto then sped to Yagura, forcing his chakra into the other Jinchuuriki's system, successfully stopping the genjutsu.

  
Yagura fainted from the amount, but that was to be expected.

  
"Itachi. You have no longer any use of being in the Akatsuki. You can come back to Konoha." Naruto tried. Itachi looked at him blankly. "I know the truth about the massacre." At this, Itachi's eyes gave away slight shock.  
"I'm planning on telling Sasuke before the Chuunin exam. Orochimaru is planning on putting the curse mark on him, using his willingness for revenge to get the Sharingan." Naruto continued.

  
"You can rejoin ANBU and stay away form the public eye and when Sasuke learns the truth, perhaps you two can start anew. I already have all the information about Akatsuki. How else do you think I was able to intercept you. In a few hours, all the jinchuuriki will be aware of the danger, the Kage shall also be alerted. All the info on you and the other members will be released, well, you can get of the hook is you come back with me." Naruto said.

  
Itachi looked at him. "Sasuke need-" "What Sasuke need is family. Something that the village tore away from him. You want him to stay? Well, he would gladly leave the village if it ment killing you. I got him on the doubts right now, he wants to find out more about you and the massacre before he makes a decision." Naruto sighed.

  
"If he learns about the massacre and blames Konoha for it, he'll do the opposite of what you want him to. If he learns the truth from me and you being there to explain everything to him, he might not wish to burn Konoha to the ground." Naruto said.  
Itachi nodded. "I see your point, but I don't believe the Akatsuki will just let me go." Itachi said. Naruto snorted. "They can try get you back, we'll see where it gets them." Naruto said. Itachi nodded. He took of his cloak, leaving him in the mesh shirt and shinobi pants he wore underneath. He took of his ring and placed it above the clothing.

  
Naruto grinned. "Now, I'll talk to Yagura. You just stay low. I'll meet you at the border of Tea and Fire." Naruto said. Itachi nodded.   
As Itachi left, Naruto created a few shadow clones. One to carry Yagura, two others to take care of his wounded teammates and three others to make sure no one would surprise them. Naruto himself used a fire style jutsu to burn the body of the traitor Yagura had chased.

  
They headed back to Kiri, it took a while, but luckily the village wasn't that far off. The guards at the gate got really alarmed when Naruto came carrying their Kage. Naruto gave them a grin.  
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto from Konoha, I came to deliever a message when I stumbled over the Mizukage and these hunter nin. They were in conflict with a traitor of some sorts. The traitor is dead and burned, but I felt that I had to help the Mizukage get back, seeing that he was uncounscious." Naruto explained. The guards nodded.

  
They pointed Naruto in the direction of the hospital. On the way, Naruto noticed that he was being followed by ANBU, but payed no mind. It was a matter of village security after all, he of all people knew this.  
He also got many worried or frightfull stares. The village wasn't called the bloody mist for nothing, but with Yagura out of the genjutsu, he wouldn't continue those horrible traditions.

  
At the hospital, the hunter nins got taken to the ICU almost immediatly. Yagura was placed in a private room as they saw that an unfamiliar chakra had entered the system. Naruto explained that he saw that the Mizukage was under a genjutsu and used his own chakra to interrupt it, but the wave he sent in might have been a little to forcefull.

  
"Thank you, Uzumaki-san." A doctor said. "A place to rest has been arranged for you, hope it's okay that it's a hospital room. We want to keep you under supervision." He continued.

  
Naruto nodded. "Of course, I can't stay for long though, a day at most." Naruto explained. The Doctor smiled. "Yagura-sama will awaken in a two or three hours top. I'll show you to your room." He said as he led Naruto down the hall.  
Naruto wasn't that fond of hospital rooms, but he accepted anyway as the doctor showed him inside. It was a simple bed with a chair at it's side. A sink and some cabinets. "Thank you, doctor." Naruto said as he sat down on the bed.  
"If you don't mind, I'll take a nap." He said as he laid down, going into his mindscape. The last thing he heard was a weak. "Of course." Before the door shut.

  
When Naruto opened his eyes again, his eyes widened in shock at the sight before him. All nine Tailed Beasts and their respective jinchuuriki except Gaara, was shouting, training, playing around in a complete mess. He looked up at Kurama who was only staring.

  
"Hello!" Naruto shouted. His voice sounding above the noise for some reason. "Yagura." Naruto called to the Mizukage. Yagura looked at him.  
"Who are you?" Yagura asked. "How do yu know my name?" Naruto smiled. "I'm that twelve year old you saw earlier. It's kind of confusing, but yeah. You are currently uncounscious and in the hospital, I carried you there. Itachi has been dealt with." Naruto said. Yagura nodded, although hesitantly.

  
"I guess we could introduce us to eachother." Naruto said to the other Jinchuuriki. The Biju had gone back to their previous positions, while the Jinchuuriki had gathered in the centre of the room.  
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, I'm thirty two years old. I'm Kurama's jinchuuriki." Naruto said. "Kurama?" Yugito asked. Naruto nodded. "It's his name." Naruto explained. Most of the Jinchuuriki took a small glance at their own Biju.  
"My name is Yugito Nii from Kumo, I'm Nibi's jinchuuriki." Yugito said. Naruto then turned to Yagura. "I'm Yagura, the fourth Mizukage. I'm the Sanbi jinchuuriki." Yagura said calmly. "My name is Roshi, I'm Son Goku's Jinchuuriki. I'm also from Iwa." Roshi said. Naruto raised an eyebrow this time. "He told you?" Naruto asked. Roshi nodded. They looked expectantly at the fifth in line. "Name's Han. I'm no longer an Iwa nin." Han said.

  
"My name is Utakata, I'm from Kiri." Yagura then looked at him. "You defected." He said. Utakata nodded. "We'll take that later," Naruto interrupted. "Six tails, right?" Utakata nodded.  
"My name is Fu, I'm the nanabi's jinchuuriki from Taki." Fu said happily. Naruto smiled. They then looked at Bee. "My name is Killer Bee, I'm from Kumo as you can see," he pointed to his headband. "The Gyuuki is my Biju and always as if on que, I'll give you guys a rap even if my bro says 'stahp'."

  
Naruto laughed. The other Jinchuurikis sweatdropped, the only sound you could hear except Naruto's laughter was Gyuki's groan.  
"Now, I respect that the Bjiu might not want to give up their names, but those of you who would like to share it, you can." Naruto said.

  
Kurama smiled. **"Kurama."** He said. The other Biju looked at him with surprise. **"I trust the Kit, he reminds me of the old man."** Kurama said. Naruto smiled. The two shared a fist bump.  
Bee looked at Naruto. "Yo, Naruto! Give your fist'o!" Bee reached out his fist. Naruto smiled. He raised his hand and bumped Bee's. Bee's eyes widened as they shared their feeelings.  
"I see." He said.

  
**"Gyuki."** Eight tails said. Kurama smirked.   
**"Matatabi."** Two tails added.  
 **"Saiken."** Six tails said.  
 **"Son Goku."** Four tails said.  
 **"Chomei.** " Seven tails said.  
 **"Kokuo."** Five tails said.  
 **"If I regret this, I'll kill you all."** Three tails said. **"Isobu."**

  
"Now, I'll contact Shukaku later, but I have to say something." Naruto turned to Yagura. "The Chuunin exam, can you be there? It's in two weeks." Naruto said. Yagura brought a hand to his face, clearly thinking. "I think I can spare a team, the final exam is a month after right? I'll come then." He said. Naruto grinned, that's good.

  
"Yugito, Bee, Roshi. I have sent clones to Iwa and Kumo regarding the same thing, I need all the Kage present. I would have made the third call a Five Kage summit, but with the exam coming up, we'd have to wait too long." Naruto said.  
The jinchuuriki nodded. "Han, Utakata. You two are at risk when you're out in the open like that. There is a group of really powerful ninja out there to get you, believe me when I say that you won't be able to beat them with just you. I understand that you want to be free, but until we can deal with the Akatsuki, you aren't. I have a house, secured by seals and all that, which will probably be large enough for you two. There is a training ground there too. If you would stay there undercover, we can deal and plan with the Akatsuki easier." Naruto said.

  
Han scoffed. "Like I would listen to some total stranger." Utakata looked at him, "Why should we trust you?" He asked. Naruto shook his head. "I can't convince you, but we're all jinchuuriki. We've gone through the same hardships. We're basically family. Han, I know you despise humans, but you must see that the biju does not define who you are!" Naruto huffed.  
"It's your choice. Come to the chuunin exam and seek me out if you wish to take up my offer." Naruto said. "Yagura, since I got to talk to you here, there is no reason for me to stay here in Kiri. I'll head back to Konoha and deliever the news to the Hokage." Naruto said. Yagura nodded.

"I wish you a good trip, Naruto Uzumaki." Yagura said as Naruto left the mindscape.

  
**"That went well."** Kurama said. Naruto shrugged. _"It could have gone worse. Or better."_ Naruto said. He got out of the hospital bed before heading out in the hallway. It took him a little while to find the doctor he had spoken to earlier, who was in charge of the facility.

  
"I have to head back, the Mizukage will get my message at a later time." Naruto said. The Doctor nodded. "There goes a boat, from here to the land of Tea, if you would like to take that instead." The Doctor said. Naruto nodded. "Thank you."

  
\----

  
A/N  
That's it for this chapter! I know it might be a little messy with many conversations and stuff, but I hope it was to your expectations.  
Goodbye~~

 

 

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

A/N  
Hellooooo! I hope you all had a super Halloween and happy birthday to me for a while back. It's almost christmas too now, I feel like a genius on updating these chapters..  
oh god, I messed up with the map in Naruto. I mixed Tea's location. The little half island looking thing that gets out south of land of fire, there are two ends right, well, Tea supposedly lies more to the south, while I thought it was the little end that went out towards Mizu. (////) that's embaressing. Well, Let's just pretend it's the entire thing or something.  
Sorry. ANYWAY, hope you enjoy the next chapter and please reviews. 

\-------------------------------------------

Naruto watched the sunset as the boat he currently was in rocked back and forth. The harbor he was going to dock on was not far off, perhaps another few minutes at most.   
Naruto sighed. Itachi had retreated and there was a large chance for that he might actually follow him back to Konoha, but then again, how would they explain it to Sasuke?  
They would gain an advantage in the chuunin exam though. Kakashi could focus on training Sakura during the month between the second and third exam, Itachi could train Sasuke and Naruto.. well he could train by himself really. Jiraiya was there though.

Naruto was shaken out of his thoughts as the boat stopped abruptly as they bumped into the docks.   
He jumped onto the docks, taking in the scenery. There was still quite a group of people outside, although it was a small town and couldn't be compared to Konoha's bustling streets. Many here had families and spent the remaining hours of the day with them, so the remaining people here were just finishing up their work.   
Naruto hurried through the town, he didn't like the thought of making Uchiha Itachi wait for him. There was just an hour or two with sunlight and he was also making the Third wait. He wasn't particulary worried about Kakashi worrying about him, he of all people should know that he could handle himself. 

And so he headed towards the border. He didn't exactly know where Itachi would be, but he could just go sage mode and try to sense him.   
Now, back to explaining things to Sasuke. First of all, he'd bring Sasuke to his apartment. Make sure all the seals are on, so nothing can break. He should also place a barrier to prevent Sasuke from running anywhere and no one hearing what's going on inside.  
There might be a slight commotion after all.   
Now, how to break it to him. He could start all serious, or he could get him to the living room, offer some tea and snacks and chat a little before starting the talk itself. Naruto sighed. Sasuke was never going to take it calmly.

To many, Sasuke would seem like the cool and calm type. He did seem like that during many battles, but the moment his brother came into the picture, something in Sasuke just snap. Naruto sighed. This did seem easier when he explained it to Itachi earlier.  
Okay. Enough thinking. Naruto sped up. Time was not stopping up for him after all, neither was Itachi, or so he chose to believe. He created a shadowclone as he hurried along, leaving it to gather nature chakra. 

He didn't have the same urgency as he did when he left for Kiri, but there was still a lot to do. He also wanted to get back to Konoha as soon as possible. There was only two weeks until the exam and he still needed to have some teamwork training with his team. He knew their habits, well at least he did know, but perhaps not anymore. He needed to get used to their current selves and they needed to get used to him.  
Naruto jumped up into the treetops, hopping and bouncing across the surfaces he could stick on. Naruto really fancied tree jumping, feeling the wind around him and the whistling sound it created. It felt great, gave him a sense of fredom too. 

Soon he felt nature chakra enter his system, although he was still a kilometer or two from the border. He didn't sense Itachi at this distant, but that was to be expected. Itachi was probably hiding from passing Shinobi, especially those from Konoha.

After a couple of minutes, Naruto made it to the border. He took a look around. He still couldn't sense Itachi, which did bug him a little. He didn't like the thought of Itachi just wandering around. The Akatsuki might hunt him and the entire world already is.   
Also, when he was a part of Akatsuki, Naruto knew where he is. That ment he knew what to expect, at least a little. When he just leave.. well, it was unsettling.  
Naruto was shaken out of his thoughts by the sound of footsteps. He whirled around, only to meet with the spiraling eyes of the Sharingan.

"Itachi." He said. Itachi looked at him impassively. "Naruto-kun." He said. Naruto shook his head, "please, Naruto is fine. I'm not the one for honorifics." Itachi nodded.   
"Let's hurry back to Konoha, I left with quite the urgency and don't really like keeping the Third waiting. Now, I have a house left for me by my parents. I'll let you stay there for the time being. I'll arrange somewhere for you only later, if you'd like that." Naruto said.  
Itachi looked at him. "Why do you trust me, it's illogical." The Uchiha said. Naruto smiled.

"I have my reasons, it's not important now. What's important is explaining things to Sasuke. Do you want to be there? Do you want the Third there? Should I do it alone?" Naruto asked.  
Itachi face didn't really make many expressions. Did the Uchiha have many facial expressions? Naruto wasn't entirely sure.   
"We'll see. I'd like to get in contact with the Hokage first." Itachi said after a moment of silence. Naruto nodded.   
"I see. We'll take that when we arrived, I have quiet the report to make after all." Naruto chuckled. Itachi gave a small smile.   
"We better hurry then." Itachi said. The two vanished into the night.   
\--  
They arrived at Konoha's gates a few hours before sunrise. Naruto sudden got a little panicked. How was he supposed to bring Itachi to the tower without alarming anyone? Naruto pondered about it for a moment. He hurried over to the gate, finding Izumo and Kotetsu sitting there like usual.  
"Izumo-san, Kotetsu-san. I would like you not to worry or panic, and take this very calmly. I'm going to bring Itachi Uchiha to the tower, no I'm not under a genjutsu, I am fully aware of what I'm doing and the situation is under control. Send the message to the barrier unit." 

The two chuunin's eyes widened. "What are you saying?" Izumo asked. Naruto shrugged. "I won't repeat myself, follow me if you'd like, but then you'd have to explain to the Third why you left your post." Kotetsu was about to retort but Naruto had already left, Itachi trailing behind him.  
Both of them easily noticed the ANBU trailing them, but they weren't under attack. The two headed straight to the tower, taking the shortest route possible. They went quickly by the reception, Naruto giving the receptionist a quick look, making sure she didn't scream or anything.

It surprised him really, that they hadn't been stopped and that the village wasn't on full alert, but he guessed that Izumo had sent the message to the barrier unit which quickly had been sent forward to the Hokage and the ANBU unit.  
Naruto knocked on the door to the Hokage's office. It didn't take long before they heard the affirmative enter. Naruto and Itachi entered as ordered and to say the Third was surprised wasn't an underestimation. 

"Wait- you didn't hear?" Naruto asked. Hiruzen shook his head. "Tell the chuunin guards and the barrier unit that they have to remember to forward the message to the Hokage." Naruto said. Hiruzen nodded.  
"Now, please explain Naruto." Hiruzen said, his eyes analyzing as much as he could without information. Naruto nodded.  
"The fourth Mizukage, Yagura, was attacked by the mercanary group called Akatsuki." Hiruzen eyes widened. "You knew?" He asked. Naruto nodded with a smile. "I have my ways after all, now." He took a deep breath.

"Itachi and his partner, Hoshigaki Kisame, were sent to attack and capture the Mizukage to extract the Three-tails from him. I intercepted them." Naruto said. His eyes flashed to Itachi.  
"Sir, with all do respect. We both know that Uchiha Itachi is innocent and in fact one of the greatest heroes of Konoha. It is complete rubbish that Itachi have to take blame for something Danzo ordered." Itachi looked at him with wide eyes.

"How much do you know, Naruto?" Itachi asked. Naruto's steel blue eyes met onyx one.  
"Everything." He replied. "Especially the fact that even if we don't have physical evidence, Danzo is a criminal, even if he says it's for Konoha's best. His ideologies and wishes for how things should be are too extreme. He should've been put behind bars a long time ago." Naruto stated. He looked at Hiruzen with hard eyes.

"You are not leading a democracy, you are leading a military. When your soldiers or advisors disobey you, you deal with it. You have not. You are seen as soft, not taken as seriously as you have been previously. The Second chose you as his successor for a reason, being whipped around by your old teammates is not one of them." Naruto said.  
Hiruzen was at a loss of words. "Naruto, you know-" "I know that you can do what you want as long as you do not disobey the Fire Lord." Naruto interrupted.   
"Now, we know that Danzo ordered the massacre, we know that Itachi was the one chosen because he was the only one capable, we know that Itachi spared his little brother because he could not kill him, because he love him." Naruto said.

"And Itachi and I know, that he wasn't the only one killing people that night." Naruto continued. Hiruzen and Itachi's shared a shocked expression before looking at Naruto with serious eyes.  
"Kakashi-sensei know this too, actually." Naruto added quickly. Hiruzen sighed. 

"You have a lot information Naruto, I know this, but we can't just act on that alone. The word of a twelve year old is not sufficient to order someones imprisonent." Hiruzen said. Naruto shrugged.  
"I could kill Danzo," he said. Hiruzen looked at him. "What?" He asked. Naruto stared at him. "I do have a slight problem with killing people, but Danzo doesn't deserve to go around as he please. If you don't have the guts to imprison him, I'll just kill him. There won't be any evidence, so by your standards, you can't imprison me either." Naruto then gave a sly smile.

"I'm also a jinchuuriki, so it would be a bad move. Because you would have a wild biju at your hands, not that I'd let you kill me, I am stronger than most people here, perhaps with an exception if it had been you in your prime, Lord Third." Naruto finished. A small drop of sweat made it down from his forehead. Itachi and Hiruzen picked up on this. 

"Naruto. Enough." Kakashi interrupted. Naruto whirled around, his eyes widening. The silver haired jonin stared at him with a hard eye. "I understand why you are wanting to get things done, but that is not the way to do it." Kakashi said. Naruto's face scrunched up.

"But-" "No." Kakashi interrupted Naruto's retort. "Lord Third, please excuse my student's behavior." Kakashi said, ignoring Naruto's attempt on breaking free from his iron grip on his shoulder.  
"It's no problem, Kakashi. Naruto was speaking his mind and I respect that opinion. Naruto, I'll deal with Danzo after the Chuunin exam." Hiruzen said.  
Naruto's eyes widened. "You were right after all," Hiruzen continued, "I should have dealt with him earlier, but you were about to act rashly. Therefor I'll deal with it when I have more time at my hands. Naruto, if Danzo is harmed before this, I'll strip you of your headband and your chance of ever becoming Hokage." Naruto's eyes widened.

"That's unreasonable! What if he's attacked during the exam?" Naruto exclaimed. Hiruzen chuckled. "Perhaps you should protect him instead? Keep an eye on him or something." Hiruzen winked.  
"Anyway, Uchiha Itachi will be staying at my parent's property for the time being. Also, Mizu will send a team to the exam, the Mizukage will come to the final." Naruto smiled.  
"The Tsuchikage agreed too, but he was more reluctant and will only send one team too, he will also come to the final." Naruto continued. "The Raikage was a real hassle to get to, but he ultimately agreed. He'll send three teams to the exam and come to the exam final himself." Naruto smiled.

Hiruzen stared blankly at him. "You got all the Kage to meet during the final." He stated. Naruto nodded.   
"It's kinda for your protection too, the Land of Wind current state is unsettling, and Konoha has gotten mission requests in that area, we've basically stolen Suna's main income, they will do something now that the security is so lax." Naruto said.

Hiruzen hummed. "I see, now is there anything more? I've been awake the entire night waiting for your return and report." Hiruzen said.  
"I'll tell Sasuke the truth, the whole truth about the massacre. If he so chooses to go against Konoha, I'll deal with him accordingly, even if it means that I have to fight you to, Itachi." Naruto said without even glancing at the Uchiha.

"I see," Hiruzen replied. "Itachi?" He looked at said man. "I agree to Naruto's decision, ultimately, I've already done far too much to harm Sasuke... although I don't like the thought of Sasuke being harmed because of irrational decisions, I decide to trust in your judgement, Lord Third." Itachi said.  
Hiruzen nodded in understanding. "Naruto will proceed as he has chosed and take full responsibility." Hiruzen said. Itachi and Naruto nodded.  
"I'll talk to Sasuke before the end of this week, after all, I need him to be in sufficient state during the exam." Naruto said.

"Well then, Naruto, take Itachi to the Namikaze estate." Hiruzen said. "Kakashi'll take you there, I showed him the location after you left." Hiruzen said and nodded to Kakashi.  
The three shinobi nodded to the Hokage and left accordingly. Itachi went under a henge to make sure no civilian freaked out by seeing a presumed criminal walking down the streets.  
They went all the way to the more well kept parts of Konoha, where the richest lived. It wasn't that far off from the tower, but enough to avoid the usual activity on the main streets. There were large forests around the area and many parks.  
Kakashi led them down a slightly hidden path that went deeper into one of the larger forests, which led to a wooden gate. It didn't seem like much, but Naruto sensed the strong barrier surrounding the area.

Naruto went closer to the gate, inspecting it. On the center, he saw the small Uzumaki clan whirl. Naruto chuckled, of course his father and mother would add something like that. Naruto bit his thumb, smearing the blood onto the seal. He channeled chakra into it and soon they could feel the barrier around opened just around the gate.  
They all walked inside to find a spacious garden, the house was located in the centre of it all. It wasn't that big, but it was much larger than what you would believe was for a family of tree. It had three stories, but small windows close to the ground hinted at there being a basement of a sort.  
They headed inside to find a large living room. There was a spacious kitchen, dining area and a cosy fireplace. Naruto smiled. He could have lived here before. He didn't even know this place existed. Well, It was destroyed during Pain's attack most likely. 

After exploring a little more on the first floor, they headed up to the second one. There was around four bedrooms there, two large bathrooms and a large wardrobe to add. Naruto sweatdropped. He had enough room for Han and Utakata at least.

"Naruto, I'll.. go home for now." Kakashi said, his voice wavering slightly. "I'm getting a little emotional of seeing the remains of Sensei's place." He said as he walked away.  
"Okay, see you tomorrow, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted after him. He looked at Itachi. "You can choose any bedroom to stay in, I'll get what you need if there is anything missing here." Naruto said. Itachi nodded and started to look around through the bedrooms.

"I'll head up to the third floor." Naruto callled out. He didn't recieve any answer, but just shrugged it off. He headed up the stairs. It led into a small hall, with only one door at the end.  
Naruto went over there and opened it quietly. He felt a slight buzzing in his hand as he let go of the handle. Inside was a large office, with several books and notes. "Guess this was dad's study." Naruto said. There were many different books of several genres, including plain fiction. Naruto smiled. 

"Guess they won't have to be so bored, could be good for them to have some litterature." He thought. Naruto headed back down to the second floor, easily finding Itachi.  
"If you need anything, just flare something into this seal." Naruto handed him a slip of paper. "I'll come with some food tomorrow, you could try and shop for yourself but it is kinda risky, also nothing is up at this hour so you'd have to wait anyway." Naruto continued.

Itachi nodded, he looked at the paper with wondering eyes. "You're good at sealing." He stated. Naruto smiled. "I've had a lot of time to practice." Itachi chuckled. "Thank you for this." He said quietly. Naruto grinned. "No problem, Sasuke's like a brother to me, so in another world, you might've felt like my big brother too." Naruto laughed.  
"I have to get home though, I'm really tired," he said. Itachi nodded. "You do that, young boys need sleep after all." Itachi hummed to himself as Naruto left.  
\--  
A/N  
Well, that's it for this chapter. It's reaaaaally short I know, but I'm going to update soon again. I just couldn't continue it in this chapters, after all, it's late and I need to sleep.  
Hope you enjoyed, remember to voice your thoughts, although I do prefer if you don't hate your way around. If you don't like my writing, then please just don't read any more.


	14. 14

A/N  
So I'm back again with a new chapter! Hope you guys have enjoyed the latest installments and still continue to support me throughout my journey, if you can call it that.  
It's just a few days to christmas, it's kinda weird to think that it's already been a year. Not that this story has been up for that long, but the original piece was submitted over a year ago, almost two.   
Anyway, I'll get on with it.

...

Naruto sat on the floor in the middle of his living room. Various scrolls and notes were scattered around him. His eyes were gleaming in mischief and achievement.   
"Naruto-kun!" A voice from outside his door sounded. Naruto's head whipped up towards the source. He quickly, although clumsily, headed to the door. He opened it to find Hinata standing there in her training equipment.

"Hinata?" He asked. The girl nodded. "I-I finished the basics of the water style jutsu you gave me." She said quickly. Naruto gave her a huge grin as he hugged her. "That's great!" He let go as he saw how awfully red she had become.

"It'll surely give you a little extra during the chuunin exam!" Naruto said proudly. He opened the door a little more. "You can come in if you want to, but it's quite messy right now." He said as he went back inside.

Hinata followed him, taking in the apartment's look. "What's all this?" She asked when she noticed the several scrolls and notes. Naruto's eyes fell to the mess.  
"Ahaha, I'm studying, or rather, perfecting something." He replied. Hinata looked down at a seal formula lying close to her. "This looks so complicated.." She mumbled. Naruto shook his head. "It isn't, sealing is almost like jutsu. There are basic signs and symbols for different elements. You can merge some to create sub elements, to make them stronger and more refined. It looks complicated and it is by no means easy. You need to have perfect handwriting to do this." Naruto said.

Hinata nodded in understanding. "Do you know much about sealing?" She asked. Naruto huffed his chest. "I know everything, well, not the oldest of old. There are several ways of sealing that has been bastardized or forgotten, which I cannot find or get my hands on."

"I see," Hinata replied. "D-do you... know anything about the caged bird seal?" Hinata asked. Naruto's eyes darkened. "You mean the seal the Uzumaki gave to the Hyuuga for prisoners and they decided to use it on their own family?" Naruto asked. Hinata winced.  
"Yes." She replied.

"I do, my mother left me some notes on it." Naruto looked at the floor. There was a silence enveloping the room, the two teens stood there in the apartment in an ackward silence.  
"Hinata. I can remove it if-" "No." Hinata interrupted. Wait what? She interrupted? And she said no??

Naruto stared at her. "What?" He breathed out. Hinata looked at him. "I don't want you to meddle, I want to remove the tradition by working hard. Not to lean on you all the time." Naruto's eyes widened before he gave her a soft smile.

"I see, that's so like you." Naruto said. Hinata looked at him, slightly shocked. "So like me?" She asked. Naruto nodded. "How you don't give up, regardless that people tell you to. I offer you help and it would make everything easier for you, yet you want to do it by yourself. To prove your worth. I have no doubts regarding your future Hinata, you'll do great." Naruto said. He gave her a grin. "I really need to tidy up here, I'm done anyway." 

Hinata looked at him, "what exactly are you working on?" She asked. Naruto gave her a grin. "My ticket to victory during the chuunin exam." He replied. The two started to gather up notes, although Naruto was slightly opposed to Hinata cleaning up his mess.

"Anyway, we can go to the training ground and have a look at your ninjutsu and taijutsu. We should also start working on expanding your view with the byakugan." Naruto said as he began to gather his equipment. 

"I can ask father for some notes regarding the byakugan, so we both could take a look at it?" Hinata proposed. Naruto looked up. "Yeah, but will take that tomorrow. For now, we'll deal with what we can." Naruto said as he put his shoes on.

"I've got more things to do, I might've forgotten that I sent some friends of mine to stay here." Naruto said. Hinata looked at him curiously. "F-friends?" She asked. Naruto nodded. "I'm going to get taught the ways of the sword by a man I know, he'll bring his adoptive child Haku with him." Naruto said.

"I have to clean up and ready the place they are going to live." He continued as the two went outside, Naruto locking the apartment behind him with a seal.  
"You use them for your apartment too?" Hinata asked fondly. Naruto nodded. "I use seals for everything lately. Fuinjutsu have saved my life many times." Naruto laughed. Hinata released a giggle.   
They soon arrived at their training ground, easily disgarding what they didn't need to wear or carry while there. Naruto was in his t-shirt and a pair of shorts, while Hinata still wore what she usually did for training. The simple dark colored outfit and some new gloves they got her to ease chakra burns and strain on her hands.   
"Okay, show me the jutsu. What were they again?" Naruto asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Water Release: Gunshot, Wild Bubble Wave and the Water Clone." Hinata replied. "Mostly C ranked jutsu. I can only use them one at a time because of the amount of chakra they use, but in the last week I've managed to at least make the Water Clone sustainable in battle." Hinata continued. 

"Let's see it then." Naruto said as he smiled. Hinata nodded. She performed the necesarry hand signs before meekly shouting out. "Water Clone!"   
One perfect clone appeared next to her, moving around on it's own to show that it could actually do something. Naruto went over to it, giving it punch. It stumbled backwards and while some ripples could be seen, it still held on.

"I see, this is very good for someone with your reserves. The clone can take a hit, although barely. For now, you should focus on perfecting it. These are only the basics after all. How's the excercise going?" Naruto asked. 

Hinata went over to the river instead of replying. She closed her eyes and concentrated at the water. Three fairly large bubbles formed and floated upwards, staying in mid-air.   
"This is great, Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed happily. Hinata opened her eyes to look at him, but the moment she saw him she lost focus and the bubbles feel, creating large ripples in the river.  
"Sorry." Hinata said as she watched the ripples fade. Naruto went over and patted her on the shoulder. "This is great, you've improved so much in just one week, as I understood you earlier, you can do the other two jutsu right?" Hinata nodded. 

"Well, you've been able to learn the basics and perform three jutsu and an excercise in just a week, I think that's very good. How's your style going?" Naruto asked. Hinata played with her fingers slightly.  
"It's going forwards, but I still lack precision and strength, nor is my speed exactly good." She said humbly. Naruto studied her face.  
"Okay then, let's spar so I can see for myself." Naruto said. He jumped a couple of meters away from her, getting into a fighting stance. Hinata nodded, she fell into the jyuuken styled stance.  
"Come," Naruto said smiling. 

Hinata rushed at him, while she wasn't as fast as Sasuke, her speed had improved drastically. How on earth had she done it just a week, to add with the fact that she had missions and team training, plus the other things she had learned? 

Naruto was shaken out of his thoughts as Hinata started to get more fierce in her attacks, Naruto couldn't help but to grin out of excitement. He had to focus now though, Hinata might be just a simple genin, but the fact that one well placed hit for her would stop his movements ever so slightly and if he suddenly went in to a chuunin or even jonin level battle state, Hinata would defienitly ask questions.   
They continued their battle for several minutes before Hinata started to get tired. Naruto noticed how her movements became sloppier and more desperate, especially seeing the surface of Naruto's endless stamina.

Naruto stopped the block he was beginning to prepare, letting Hinata's strike come in and hitting his shoulder. He fell backwards from the sudden push and fell into a crouching position.  
"That was great Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed happily. Hinata was panting but looked at him with confused eyes.

"Why would you hold back?" She asked. Naruto, slightly taken aback from the questions gave an insecure smile. "What'ya mean?" He asked. Hinata bit her lip.  
"We both know how strong you are, no matter how much I trained I couldn't-" "Yes Hinata, you can!" "I couldn't get so far in one week!" Hinata interrupted Naruto's interruption.   
"You said so yourself, I shouldn't hold back when we fight. Neither should you." Naruto winced. Now he felt bad. 

"Hinata-" "No. You must take me seriously, or else I won't be able to improve!" Hinata exclaimed. Naruto then smiled.

"You have improved, I mean look at you. You barely stutter, you actually yelled at me." Hinata blushed. "You have improved so much, I can't wait to see how far you'll go." Naruto said and gave her a hug.   
He breathed in her scent, it was so familiar. Hinata's soft skin, the way her hair fell, the smell of lilacs. Naruto felt tears gathering in his eyes. He missed her so much.   
Hinata fell limp into his embrace, Naruto looked took a look at her. She was red and had probably fainted the moment she realized what had happened. Naruto sighed. He lifted her up into his arms, created two clones to gather their stuff and headed towards the Hyuuga compound. 

Ko didn't actually question what had happened when they arrived, but simply led Naruto to Hinata's quarters and helped him get her comfortable.   
Naruto headed towards the Namikaze estate, he had went shopping for some more groceries and different food for Itachi and his other guest who had forgotten to make contact with him.   
Naruto didn't spend much time there, Itachi didn't have that much to say. Naruto made sure he was getting all that he needed and left a special clone at the house to use for errands. The blonde then hurried off to the Hokage Tower.

It was quite a busy day, just one week left for the start of the exam. Many ninja from other villages had begun to arrive, like the few from Iwa who thought the trip would take much longer.   
For that reason, the Hokage was quite busy arranging living areas for them and those who would arrive any day now. Naruto was anticipating Gaara's arrival, but he was unsure how he would deal with him when he did. 

After an hour or so, Naruto was finally let into the office. "Hokage-jiji." Naruto said fondly. The elderly man was sitting as straight in his chair as ever, but he did seem extremely tired.   
"I sent you two ninja here with a note of mine, during the Wave mission." Naruto said. Hiruzen nodded. "They are currently living at a hotel, I forgot to tell you. I was supposed to send you there when you had the time." Hiruzen said. Naruto groaned. "I had to make him wait?" Naruto asked. Hiruzen gave a small laugh.  
"Call it my little revenge for that Mizu stunt of yours." Hiruzen smiled. 

Naruto got the hotel's adress before hurrying out of the tower. It was in one of Konoha's less populated streets, also close to some private training grounds Naruto assumed the Third had rented out to the two.

Naruto headed into the lobby and told the receptionist that he was visiting the ones on the top floor. She nodded, seeing how the Hokage himeself had ordered the room placement. Naruto headed up the stairs, getting a little nervous.

He had made Zabuza wait after all. 

Naruto knocked on the door, firmly but also not too loud. Haku was the one to open up. "You must be Naruto-kun." He said as he took in Naruto's appearance.   
"That is correct," Naruto replied. "Is Zabuza here?" Naruto asked. Haku nodded before a larger man came into view.

"Took you long enough, brat." Zabuza said gruffily. Naruto smiled apologetically. "I had some errands in Kiri." He said. Zabuza got a little on guard. "Did you turn me in or something?" He questioned. Naruto shook his head.

"No, I saved Yagura from the genjutsu he were under." Naruto replied. "You knew?" Zabuza asked. "I've known for long, it was just some urgency that had me rushed over there a week ago." Naruto answered and sat down on a couch.

"I got a large house you'll get to stay in, there is another tenant there at the moment, but I really need you both under my supervision. There might also come another two to stay, depending on their choice. Do you mind?" Naruto asked. Zabuza and Haku shook their heads.

"I'll also pay for the food and there isn't any rent, it's easier and more convenient for the two of you. Now, I'll prepare you beforehand. It's super important that you do not speak about this to anyone currently." Naruto looked at the two strictly to make sure they got his point.

"Itachi Uchiha is the one you'll be living with." Naruto smiled. Zabuza and Haku's eyes widened. "What? You're harboring another missing-nin?" Zabuza asked incrediously.  
"Itachi's story is long and complicated, I won't go into detail. We're cleaning it up. Itachi's little brother is very... unstable, so he must never get a word of it until it's properly explained. I was thinking about living in the house myself after the chuunin exam, but I don't really need it. Anyway, what do I need for sword training?" Naruto asked.

Zabuza then gave a grin of his own, although you couldn't see it very well behind the bandages. "Well, you need a sword. Have you ever tried one?" Zabuza asked. Naruto shook his head.  
"No, but I am very good with kunai." Naruto said. Zabuza snorted. "That's two very different things." Naruto shrugged.  
"I wouldn't know." He replied. 

Zabuza went to his sword, which was placed in a corner. "The sword has a will of his own, you don't choose one because it looks fancy, but rather because it fits. It feels right." Zabuza explained.  
"Go to a weapons shop as soon as possible, make him show you around. Try the swords there and see if anything falls into your liking. For now, please show us where we're staying." Zabuza said. Naruto nodded.

The trio went out from the hotel after paying what was owed, it wasn't that much because it was a cheap hotel and the Hokage had already payed most amounts.   
They walked to the house, taking a slightly longer route to see the market. Haku, who wasn't a known criminal, would be able to do his own shopping and walking around, which Naruto wanted to help him with.

He wasn't that fond of Haku getting lost, trying to ask for directions only to find out that no one knew where the house was except Naruto, Kakashi and the Hokage.   
Naruto explained how the barrier worked and that they would have to use the clone he left at the house to lock them out, seeing that the gate shut everytime the gate, well shut.   
He also gave them the seal he had given to Itachi, which would give him a call when they needed him. Once they arrived, he gathered his three guests on the first floor. They all sat in the living room while Naruto's clones cooked a meal.

"Now, there are a possibility of two others coming to live here, Han and Utakata. Han comes from Iwa and does have a slight issue with humanity in general, while Utakata is just a plain introvert. He's quite nice when you get to know him though. 

They both got their struggles, like all of you here do, but I would like you all to try and get along at least a little." Naruto said. Itachi and Haku nodded, Zabuza gave no response.  
"There is a training ground here you're all free to use, do not kill eachother or ruin the house. It belonged to my parents." Naruto continued.  
"Naruto-kun, Han and Utakata. They're both jinchuuriki aren't they?" Itachi asked. Naruto looked at the Uchiha. "That's correct. I hope you won't try to extract their biju nor make them release them, I would be in big trouble." Naruto joked. Itachi gave a small smile.

"Itachi, I believe I'll try to talk to Sasuke alone first. If he takes it well, I'll take him to the Hokage to help me make sure he doesn't run of and try to find you out there in the wilderness. If everything goes well, we'll tell him that we know where you are and can arrange a meeting. We will not let him know that you've been staying here for as long as you have." Naruto explained. Itachi nodded.  
"Haku, as I mentioned on the way here, you can walk around Konoha as you please. If you want to, we can arrange you an exam to see if you're fit to be a shinobi." Naruto said. Haku smiled softly. "Thank you, Naruto-kun, I'll give it a thought." He replied.

"Zabuza, the Mizukage is coming to the exam final. I might be able to get a word with him beforehand and discuss your situation, if everything sorts out properly, you might be able to go back to Kiri or you can stay in Konoha and become a ninja here if you so wish." Naruto said. Zabuza nodded.   
"I've been wondering." Haku started. "You are awfully connected in many affairs that should've been unknown to you. Aren't you just a genin?" Haku asked. Naruto froze for a second. "I'm a special case." Naruto replied with a smile.

"Anyway, I got team practice soon. I need to get going. Although I'm not exactly needed." Naruto said. He stood up and gave a wave to his clone. "Don't you want to eat?" Haku asked. Naruto shook his head.  
"Can't eat too much right before training. I'm gonna have a smaller snack on the way there." Naruto replied. They said goodbye and Naruto left the place. 

...

Naruto arrived at the team's own training ground right before Kakashi did. The team had finally gotten used to the tardiness and didn't exactly complain anymore. Instead, Sasuke and Sakura had started to train together, both growing.

On Sakura's side, it was great to see that she had grown out of her fangirl phase, yet she still had that crush on Sasuke. It didn't really surprise Naruto, but he hoped that Sasuke wouldn't completely ruin her growth with his emo.

Sasuke had also grown. He wasn't downright mean anymore. He helped Sakura under the excuse that he couldn't watch how pathetic she were and didn't want her to drag him down, but the rest of the team knew that he was just showing some kindness.

Sasuke also tried to make an effort to make Naruto trust him, so that he could learn the entire truth about the massacre.   
Oh, if he knew what Naruto would drop at him soon.  
Their teamwork during battle was pretty good too know, they started to get used to eachothers movements and managed to work around eachother. Sakura had gotten some lessons at the hospital too, so she now knew the basic knowledge for medical ninjutsu, all though she still couldn't perform the mystic palm technique just yet.

Kakashi had worked Sasuke and Sakura to the ground, their physical ability had improved and so had their reserves. Naruto was glad, he didn't have much hope before Kakashi came back in time, he thought that when Orochimaru appeared that he would have to protect them at the same time as fighting the Sannin.

But now he saw that they were capable at least handling the wilderness alone, so he could just seperate them and take on Orochimaru alone without having them there.  
This would make sure that Orochimaru wouldn't get close enough to Sasuke to put the cursemark on him. Speaking of that, Naruto really had to find a counterformula more affective than the 'you must have a will of your own too to fight it'. It really didn't work that well. It also brought that Anko person pain, which he could help with.

"Sasuke, I need you to come to my apartment after training." Naruto said. There was a silence filling the training ground. "Okay? What do you want, Dobe?" Sasuke asked.  
"We need to talk." Naruto said. Sasuke's eyes widened before he nodded, "I see, I'll go with you then."

\---

A/N  
Thaaaat's it folks! Hoho, Sasuke talk next. I'm not even sure what's going to happen. I'm probably going to be quite busy the next few days, after all christmas is coming up and I'm actually moving too.  
You see, I had a quite the large family, we were like nine people, so we bought a house accordingly, but now it's just mom and I. Soo, we're moving, I won't be able to write then.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N

It's been a long time since I updated here. My pc and ao3 isn't that good on working together. Hope you didn't miss me too much.

\-------

Sasuke trailed behind Naruto slightly. It wasn't in the I surrender way, but more in the I don't want to anger him way. Naruto knew that Sasuke kept silent because he didn't want to say anything wrong, not to change his mind. 

They headed to Naruto apartment. The sun had set an hour ago or so, Kakashi making his three students train late. Naruto knew that by making Sasuke slightly more exhausted physically might help Naruto restraining him if things went south during their talk.

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows, uncertain. How was he actually supposed to bring the entire truth to Sasuke without making the kid go all revenge on everyone.   
They climbed the stairs to the floor where Naruto's apartment was, the blond unlocked with the key and made the ram seal, releasing the security seals inside.  
"Come in," Naruto said. Opening the door. Sasuke entered, taking in Naruto's living arrangements.

Naruto's apartment was small, but enough for one person. You entered into the kitchen which had a small dining area, a small hallway to the right which led to Naruto's bedroom. You entered the bathroom from the bedroom, although you would have to make it through the apartment first.

Sasuke had noticed that Naruto was a messy person at first, especially in the academy. He had recently began cleaning, seeing how several trashbags were placed in the corner. Several clones were around, dusting, washing, vacuuming. It was noisy, but Sasuke didn't notice it before entering.

Naruto gave a grin. "Like my workers?" He asked. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "They're here all day? Are you that lazy?" He asked. Naruto shrugged. 

"It hadn't been cleaned in ages, it was time. They're just as lazy as myself, so they've been going for a couple of days now." Naruto replied. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly.  
"Your clones last for that long?" He asked. Naruto nodded. "I have large chakra reservers, remember?" Naruto answered before sitting down by the kitchen table. 

"Put the things down." Naruto called out. The clones did as asked and clattering was heard throughout the room. Naruto then dispelled the clones, giving the apartment an uneasy silence.   
It was then Sasuke realized, despite how small the apartment was built, how large it was.

"Sit down Sasuke, this can take a while." Naruto's eyes darkened. He made a one handed seal, the aparment suddenly revealed several seals on the floors and walls, all of them glowing white before fading away.

"What was that?" Sasuke asked. 

"That was seals and lots of them." Naruto replied. "I don't want any listening in on us." Sasuke raised an eyebrow. 

"That many seals for no one listening in?" Sasuke asked. Naruto shook his head. He looked around the apartment.

"There are protection seals for items and furniture, privacy seals and some more." Naruto turned to Sasuke again. "I have larger versions of them to offer more and better protection, but that's not why we're here." Naruto said.

Sasuke nodded. "Are you going to tell me the truth?" Sasuke asked. Naruto nodded.

"Most of the things you know about Itachi, the massacre and the village, is wrong." Naruto started. Sasuke stared at him, saying nothing.

"As you know, Itachi was an ANBU. He swore loyalty to the Hokage and only the Hokage, but that's not where this story is going to start. We're going to go all the way back to the first Hokage and Uchiha Madara."

"Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, the founders of this village and the hidden village system, were enemies in the beginning and enemies in the end. This was during the warring clans era and their clans fought non stop. Hashirama and Madara became friends during this time period and dreamt about creating a village.

Let's fast forward, the village is now created and the people want a leader. Hashirama thinks that Madara is more suited, but Hashirama is more liked in the village and they don't completely trust Madara. Hashirama does in the end become Hokage, not that Madara initially disagreed.

The Sharingan is a powerfull tool, and you have yet to fully master it. The three tomoe is not the final step, the next one is the Mangekyo Sharingan."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "There is more?" Naruto nodded.

"The Mangekyo Sharingan can only be awakened by sudden emotional trauma. Madara gained his when his brother Izuna died. Izuna had already gained the Mangekyo and gave his eyes to Madara to ease him from the Mangekyo's disadvantages, which is blindness." Naruto explanied.

"Now, when you gain the Mangekyo, you can read even further on the stone tablet underneath the Uchiha compound." 

"The tablet was written by the Sage of the Six Paths, but edited by a creature named Zetsu. The tablet speaks of the mangekyo and a doujutsu called the rinnegan. It was initally a warning to the Uchiha not to trying to recreate said doujutsu, but Zetsu wanted to encourage it to reawaken a goddess, Kaguya."

"What does this have to do with my brother?" Sasuke interrupted. Naruto glared at him. "You Uchiha are so troublesome, it is a long story okay?"

"Now, Madara got crazy with this thing called the infinite Tsukuyomi, a powerful genjutsu which feeds on everyone's chakra. And I mean everyone, it would trap the entire would inside."   
"Okay so, this plot made Madara turn bad, I don't remember why exactly, but he wanted to create the perfect world for everyone. Not a bad idea initally, but he wanted to force everyone into a world of lies." Naruto said.

"Madara became a traitor, fighting First and deserting the village. Now, many things happened, including Madara returning, summoning the Nine-Tails, getting defeated, Uzumaki Mito becoming the first Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, wars, The First death. Not all of these happened at the same time of course, there were periods between them.

The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, was instructed not to mistreat the Uchiha by the First himself. Tobirama did not trust the Uchiha at all and had not improved that much, even when Madara was a supposed ally, but the Uchiha was still in the village. He took a little distance to them, but founded the Uchiha Military Police Force in an attempt to show trust and good faith between the Uchiha and Senju. It is however, belived that Tobirama did it to seperate them from the village itself." Sasuke's eyes widened.

"This, is where things connect with your brother and your familly." Naruto continued.

"So, the Uchiha is doing their own little thing, the Hokage gets killed and the Third steps up, times are mostly okay except from the wars of course. The Uchiha gets more and more distant from the village because they believe the Sharingan is superior, have a rivalry with the Hyuuga and Senju and stuff. The Third retires and the Fourth Hokage steps up. Things are looking great, the Fourth and Third did a good job in trying to unite the village, but unfortunately... October 10th." Naruto murmured the end, his eyes wandering to his stomach.

"The Kyuubi was summoned and controlled by an Uchiha." Naruto said. Sasuke was about to retort, but Naruto held up his hand.

"Not a loyal one, but that wasn't known until many years later. So, there is a clear Sharingan shaped thing on the Kyuubi's eyes, this was seen by many ninja fighting. The Uchiha Police Force was far away from the front, evacuating civilians mostly. Many were also on missions. The fourth dies sea- defeating the Kyuubi and the Third steps up."

"After this, when the village got rebuilt, the Uchiha was suspected of being behind the attack, but Uchiha Fugaku denied it. The Uchiha was placed in a seperate compound from the rest of the village, in the outskirts." Naruto explained.

"With this much suspicion against them, being seperated physically from the village, not being listened to when complains came in, the Uchiha planned a coup." Naruto said.  
"They wouldn't-" Sasuke interrupted, but Naruto stopped him again.

"They did and they almost succeeded hadn't it been for your brother." Naruto explained sharply. "The original plan was to trap Fugaku and those in charge under a genjutsu called Kotoamatsukami, this genjutsu gives the target false experiences which makes them do decisions seemingly by their own free will. Uchiha Shisui was the only one who could cast this genjutsu with his Mangekyo sharingan. The plan had succeeded had it not been for Shimura Danzo." Naruto grit his teeth.

"Danzo wanted to kill all the Uchiha, he thought that they should eliminate them before doing any damage. The Third said no, but Danzo did not listen. It was a last resort, no one wanted war between the clan and the village. Danzo stole one of Shisui's eyes, Shisui escaping before his life was stolen too. Then he met Itachi, his best friend."

"Shisui gave Itachi his remaining eye, before dropping of a cliff into Naka river. This gave Itachi the Mangekyo Sharingan. Itachi was framed for Shisui's murder, making the Uchiha trust him less and less after joining the ANBU. Fugaku told him to spy at the village for the Uchiha, while he was actually spying on the Uchiha for the village." Naruto explained.

"With Shisui gone, Danzo used Itachi's conflicted feelings to explain two possible outcomes. The Uchiha going for the coup, ending with the entire clan's extermination, including lives from the village, or the other option," Naruto paused, looking at Sasuke's blank face.

"Or killing all the Uchiha, except you." Naruto finished.

"This..." Sasuke said. "How do you know this?" Sasuke asked. Naruto shook his head. "I can't tell you that, not yet at least." He replied.  
"You're telling me, that Itachi chose the village and me, over the clan." Sasuke summarized. Naruto nodded. 

"Why did he get branded as a traitor then? Why did the Sandaime not tell me this?" Sasuke demanded. Naruto's eyes locked into Sasuke's.

"Itachi requested it. There is many complicated things in this story, there is so much shit going on that I wouldn't be able to explain it this one night, but I were the one who urged the Sandaime to allow me to tell you, under some conditions." Naruto said.

"Which?" Sasuke asked.

"I could only tell you when I deemed you be ready for it, if you decided to go rogue or hell bent on revenge against the village, I'd deal with you." Sasuke scoffed at the statement.  
"Had you showed any signs of wanting to harm the Hokage or this village, you wouldn't have gotten out of this apartment." Naruto stated calmly.

"Sasuke. What are you going to do with this information?" Naruto asked.

"I won't kill Itachi. I won't harm the Third or the village." Sasuke said. "If Itachi wanted to protect this place, then so will I with him." Sasuke continued.

"Good, now what else?" Naruto smiled.

"Danzo must pay, Itachi should be redeemed." Sasuke said. Naruto nodded.

"I'll deal with Danzo, he has been a real pain in my ass too. For Itachi, well I guess we could just break it to you now." Naruto grinned.

Sasuke's head whipped to his right when Naruto's bedroom door swung open. The one and only Itachi standing at the end of the hallway, wearing the usual high-collared Uchiha shirt with a tanto on his back, dark shinobi pants to go with it and a proud leaf forehead protector on his forehead.

"Itachi." Sasuke breathed out.

"Sasuke." Itachi replied softly.

Sasuke disappeared from the chair, appearing by Itachi's side before Naruto could blink, punching the older brother in the gut. 

"That's for leaving me alone." Sasuke growled.

"Sorry, Sasuke, forgive me," Two fingers poked Sasuke's forehead. "That would be the last time." Itachi smiled. Tears formed at the corners of Sasuke's eyes and suddenly, he fell to his knees. The youngest Uchiha finally crying out those pent up emotions he had held since his family's death. Itachi bent down to him, calmly holding around him.

Naruto wasn't used to seeing such stoic people hugging or crying. He had seen Sasuke cry before, when they fought in the Valley of End, Sarada's birth, he even cried a little during his and Sakura's wedding, not that he would admit it.

Naruto released most of the seals in his apartment, no longer worrying about anything getting destroyed. He used a silent bodyflicker to go to the Hokage tower.  
It didn't take long before Naruto was in front of the Third. The elderly man looking at him expectingly.

"Sasuke knows about Itachi, having met the man himself. He does not want to harm you or the village, but he wants Danzo rightfully punished, as do I. I told you that if Danzo isn't dealt with soon, I'd deal with him myself. I'm patient on the matter for now, but I'm not that sure if Sasuke is. You should find the evidence you can and make sure you can deal with him, if you don't find evidence, I suggest you use your power as a Hokage, a single ruler, to make him atone for his crimes." Naruto said.

Hiruzen nodded tiredly. "I understand, Naruto-kun. I'm glad that the Sasuke matter came out alright, but for now, I want you to prepare for the Chuunin exams, I want you to make your impressions as big as you can, I actually think that the more you show off, the more you display your power to your other nations, telling them that the leaf is still strong and the Will of Fire is burning brightly. The Gokage is coming too, you should make sure that you make an impression on them too, it'll help you won't it, Nanadaime-sama?" Hiruzen asked.

"Or should I say Godaime? When the time is right." Hiruzen asked, raising an eyebrow.

Naruto's eyes widened. "Jiji - the villagers - they won't accept me, I won't be able to run around-" The Hokage lifted his hand, silencing the blond.

"You would have full authority to make sure the right Shinobi were at the right place at the right time. You yourself will still have me around to cover for you if you have to be at a place. You have your clones to cover the paperwork which is most of what keeps the Kage out of shape, something I will not let you do. I suggest you find certain ways on dealing with this. I am not retiring now, but I want you, a real Hokage, to make sure that things go right. You will have unlimited access to all the information you need, no one can tell you what to do. This is the only way you can move without showing being called a favourism case." Hiruzen explained.

Naruto nodded. "I understand, Hokage-sama, but the villagers will have make an uproar." Naruto tried again. Hiruzen shook his head.

"The villagers would deny the son of the Fourth Hokage and the Red-Hot Habanero, deciple of Jiraiya, student of Hatake Kakashi, the title of Hokage? You show what you can do during this exam, ace it Naruto. During the next two or three years, you'll learn as much as you can from Jiraiya, things you don't already know, but not one long trip." Hiruzen paused.

"You'll mostly stay here, being trained on the Hokage job by me, although I know you don't actually need it, but showing up at more and more meetings until the council sees how you work. I'll retire the moment the entire Village sees you for who you are. Your heritage will be announced during the final, your status as a jinchuuriki is to be known as you see fit."

Naruto nodded. He frowned slightly. "Are you sure about this, Tsunade is a great Hokage." Naruto started. "I want you to bring back Tsunade this week, before the exam starts. Offer her a chance for her Medical Ninjutsu Program, runnings of the hospital, a council seat is her's as well. Also if she refuses, I suggest you either use authority or some other method you see fit." Hiruzen said. 

"This is a mission I'll assign to you, you can choose whoever you want to come with you, but having Jiraiya there might give you an advantage. Do you understand?" Hiruzen asked.  
Naruto nodded.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." They smiled at eachother.

\---------------------------

A/N  
That's it for this chapter, geez that's was hard. Many of you might disagree on my Hokage thing, but trust me, I think it'll give Naruto an advantage. You see how much he was halted because he was a genin, or an underling anyway. He knows what's the best action to take against Akatsuki, Orochimaru, Pain, Madara, Obito, y'know.   
He can also protect the village much better than any other right now, let's be real.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! Thank you for all the positive responses. I hope it wasn't that of a horrible wait.

Naruto looked over his notes which were scattered at his table. He figured that he might as well check some of his old classmates if he would need them for the Tsunade retrieval mission. He didn't exactly think they would come up in any trouble, seeing as Orochimaru was still good to go for the invasion and all that. 

He considered taking Hinata, but he figured that bringing her out of the village right before the exam could be tricky. Her clan was very strict after all, so she probably wouldn't be able to get out of the training with her father. 

Not that he would want her to miss that training either.

He considered bringing the rest of Team 7, but Sasuke wanted to stay with Itachi for a while. He had asked Kakashi for a temporarily leave from the team, before confirming it with the Hokage later.   
He kind of wanted to bring Sakura though. She could need time out of the village, to get used to the possible dangers. Also, he might convince Tsunade to teach her there and then.   
It would make it hard for Naruto to train though, Jiraiya knew about his little time travel experience, so practicing S-ranked jutsu around him wouldn't do anything, but Sakura? She would lose so much motivation if she saw him, the previous dead last, blasting around jutsu even the Kages struggled with.

Naruto sighed loudly as he glanced over the papers. He wondered how long his little time travel act would remain hidden, after all, when you had geniuses like Shikamaru around you all the time, secrets like that tend to get reveal sooner rather than later.

It wasn't much to do about it though, Naruto figured. He could remain hidden for the time being, but he would have to come out clean so he wouldn't have to go around hiding his abilities or end up in a difficult situation with his teammates.

Naruto put the papers aside. He and Jiraiya would do for now. He didn't have the patience nor the time to deal with the sorting for the mission right now. For the time being, he would have to find Jiraiya.  
Naruto headed towards the hot springs. He didn't really have to look for Jiraiya, let alone sense him. The sannin was always peeping on women during his free times and the Konoha hot springs were the best source for "research material".

Naruto spotted his godfather soon enough and went over. "Ero-sennin." Naruto smirked as Jiraiya spun around.

"That's a horrible nickname." Jiraiya muttered as he stood up.

"What's up kid?" Jiraiya asked as he made sure none of the ladies saw him. Naruto pointed towards the Third's head on the mountain.

"Old man sent me on a mission, I'd like you to come with me." Naruto said. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow.

"He let you choose?" He asked. Naruto nodded. 

"We're going to bring Senju Tsunade back to Konoha." Naruto said calmly. Jiraiya's eyes widened. He looked towards the Hokage Tower absentmindedly. 

"What's he thinking?" Jiraiya muttered under his breath. Naruto laughed. 

"We need Tsunade's medical expertise, she's also technically on borderline missing nin right now." Naruto said. Jiraiya's head whipped around to face him. 

"What do you mean?" Jiraiya asked, although he already had a vague idea.

"I mean, Jiji gave her permission to travel around and retire, but all ninja, retired or not, has a duty to return to the village if called, but Tsunade has refused several times and she didn't actually officially retire either. She is now, technically, refusing a direct order." Naruto explained. Jiraiya looked at him before groaning. 

"You're not going to back down anyway, are you?" He asked. Naruto shook his head with a grin.

"We leave at sunset; my guess is that Tsunade is around Tanzaku-Gai." Naruto replied as he went back to pack his things. Jiraiya sighed at the sight of his godson leaving. One day, that kid would die from underestimating someone.

Naruto didn't bring much more than necessary. He had his usual equipment, which technically meant that he had absolutely everything he needed. Like, they could've travelled to Kumo and he alone would have enough supplies to take care of a three-man cell.

Naruto liked to be prepared, although he did not exactly know how to be so. He was still straightforward and a little scatter brained, it was why he had Shikamaru to make sure that he had all he needed mostly. Though this time around, he was on his own, well except from Kakashi.

And Kurama.

Naruto met Jiraiya at the gate when sunset arrived, spending no more time than necessary before leaving. Naruto stayed on watch, although he knew that no normal bandit would attack ninja without reason.

"So, what are your plans regarding Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked carefully. Naruto shrugged.

"I'll find something out, but I'm mostly thinking something in the 'Come with us or I'll drag you back with force', kind of style." Naruto said as he fixed the scroll attached to his side. It was just a small scroll, but it contained all his equipment. 

"You know that Tsunade is the strongest kunoichi in the world, right?" Jiraiya asked as he stared at Naruto incredulously. Naruto shrugged. 

"I can't beat her in pure strength, but in speed? She doesn't stand a chance." Naruto replied carelessly as the two walked along.

"So, want to do some training once we stop for the day?" Jiraiya asked. Naruto smiled. "I guess I could give you some pointers." He replied teasingly. Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched.

"I'll have you know that while you might have learned the rasengan and evolved it and fuinjutsu and sage mode... and mastering the kyuubi chakra from what I heard from Kakashi, in addition to the flying thundergod technique." Jiraiya muttered the last part before continuing. "There is still lots I can teach you, like better combination techniques with toads, several elemental jutsu and other jutsu you probably haven't bothered looking at because you have such high-powered techniques, but sometimes you need to know the small stuff too." Jiraiya lectured. Naruto nodded in understanding.

"I guess I haven't done much in all aspects of ninjutsu, but I bet I can master most jutsu in the world, given that I have lots of shadow clones to help me out." Naruto replied. Jiraiya nodded.   
"We'll have a look at that when we stop for the night, for now, we just have to get to the next town." Jiraiya answered. 

Naruto smiled to himself. It was good to have a teacher that didn't believe he was 'done' with his training. Naruto was mostly left on his own devices as a kid and an adult, but now he was just someone who Jiraiya wanted to know- seeing as he was his godson - after figuring out that the kid he had planned to spend some time with once he could stand on his own two legs, was over thirty years old in his mind.

The trip wasn’t that long. There were several smaller villages close to Konoha due to the higher amount of ninja patrolling the area. It gave the weaker villages more protection even though it wasn’t organized or guaranteed. 

Finding a relatively cheap hotel to stay the night, but merely left some of the heavier bags Jiraiya carried before heading out into a clearing not too far away from town. 

“Alright, as I understand it, you know several varieties of the rasengan, including rasenshuriken, and pure chakra manipulation.” Jiraiya stated. Naruto nodded in confirmation.   
“I also know some simpler wind jutsu and chakra exercises for water and lightning.” Naruto added as he discarded his hoodie on the ground.

“Right. We’ll work with wind first, seeing as it’s your primary element. There are several jutsu, differing in strength and range, that might be of interest to you. When it comes to jutsu, it’s important to remember that the simplest jutsu can be a terrifying weapon with the amount of power and thought put into it. That’s why we’ll first focus on some of the simpler wind jutsu to start with.” Jiraiya explained as he took out two scrolls from his pouch.

“Wind style; Great breakthrough and Gale Palm.” Naruto stated as he opened the scrolls. Jiraiya nodded. 

“These two C-ranked jutsu are powerful weapons. We’ll also be working on the Flying Swallow technique, but that’s more of pure wind manipulation.” Jiraiya said as he turned away from Naruto.  
He went through a couple of hand seals before releasing a great gust of wind towards the forest.

“That was Great breakthrough. The jutsu varies in strength and one of the more iconic ones for a wind user. It can be used to deflect projectiles or knock people far away. It’s also great for combining with water or fire techniques.” Jiraiya explained. Naruto nodded.

“The hand signs are as following; Tiger, Ox, Dog, Rabbit, Snake.” Jiraiya said as he showed them to Naruto, just in case.

Naruto turned towards the same area Jiraiya had targeted earlier. He did the following hand signs before muttering, “Wind Style; Great Breakthrough.” A medium sized gust of wind shot out of his mouth but wavered before coming especially far. Not nearly as strong as Jiraiya’s. 

Naruto sighed loudly. “It was good for your first try kid, when I learned it I couldn’t even get a small sized gust at first. You’ll have to adapt to how much chakra you need to use the jutsu, especially considering that no one has exactly your amount of chakra reserves. It’s a little hard for me to measure for you, but I’d say that if you took a bucket out of your sea, it’ll be enough for a strong one.” Jiraiya said.

Naruto nodded. He created three shadow clones who went through the hand signs almost immediately. 

“They’ll deal with training for now. I need something to eat.” Naruto said as his stomach grumbled loudly. Jiraiya laughed loudly as the two headed back to the village. They found a small restaurant in the town square, but that was the only one there so it wasn’t so hard. They ordered and sat down in one of the quieter corners, wanting to avoid prying eyes and ears.

“So, figured out how to deal with Tsunade?” Jiraiya asked. Naruto shrugged.

“It’s better when things come from the heart, I can always pull the ‘I could arrest you’ card, but it wouldn’t be that good for my favours.” Naruto smiled. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow.

“Favours?” He asked. Naruto nodded with a foxy grin.

“First, medical program. Second, certain people I’d like here to train personally. Third, teaching advanced chakra control at the academy during the later years. Seriously though, having a sixty-six percent pass rate on a genin exam isn’t exactly recommendable when the chance of war breaking out at any moment is possible.” Naruto explained.

“I see, you make a valid point. Though I don’t think war will break out any time soon.” Jiraiya said. He looked around the restaurant. “Let’s change the subject.” He continued.

“Okay?” Naruto asked as the waiter placed their food on the table.

“Did you have any lovers? Did I teach you the way to woo anyone, regardless of gender?” Jiraiya asked with a perverted grin.

Naruto chuckled. “I had a childish crush once, and I know for certain that many found me attractive. But there was only one woman for me and I married her.” Naruto said as he smiled genuinely.

“Who was she?” Jiraiya asked. Naruto’s smile faltered slightly.

“Hinata, she’s the daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi.” He said. Jiraiya spluttered. 

“You got to date a Hyuuga? A clan heir nonetheless?” He asked as he tried to compose himself. Naruto laughed. 

“She apparently had a major crush on me since forever, but I had as much knowledge about love at the time like a piece of bread. Didn’t notice until I was like eighteen. We married and had two children a couple of years afterwards.” Naruto explained, keeping a small smile on his face.

“Kids?” Jiraiya looked at seemingly nothing.

“Yeah, Boruto and Himawari. They’re the best. I… I miss them.” Naruto said as he took a bite of his meal. Jiraiya nodded.

“I know the feeling. Minato was like a son to me, of course, I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a real father, except from the vagueness I’ve gotten from my pupils.” Jiraiya said.

“I try to come to terms with it, but I can’t seem to shake away the regret. I left them there, in the future. In that timeline. I might never see them again. Even as I saw Hinata when I first arrived here, when I spend time with her training to prepare her, I still know that this isn’t the Hinata I married and she might never be. I won’t ever be able to see these people here as those I knew back then, yet, you’re all them.” Naruto tried to explain. Jiraiya nodded solemnly.

“It’ll be hard, I can tell. I can’t say that you’ll ever be able to look at us without being reminded of them. But I suppose that you might get to love the new them as well, or…” Jiraiya trailed off. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

“Or...?” He asked.

“We can try to find you a way back home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it for this chapter. I could’ve gone on a little further, but I’ve kept you all waiting for so long and I simply need to get over this dry writer’s block.  
> I’ll try not to make you wait as long before the next chapter, but I’ll soon have my exams so I might get even busier.   
> Have a great Easter folks.


End file.
